Chef Shuffles: St. Vincent, Pican, Per Diem

A trio of chef shuffles have gone down so far this week, with two notable spots losing their chefs and a third gaining an impressive new one. First up is St. Vincent, where the acclaimed opening chef, Bill Niles, is on his way out. Owner David Lynch has a still-undisclosed replacement lined up; the cuisine will remain American, though it's unclear if Niles' more recent Southern bent will stick. Niles' last day is Saturday, and he doesn't have a new project lined up yet, though he'll be helping Chris Kronner open Kronnerburger's Oakland brick-and-mortar. St. Vincent fans should also note that the restaurant portion of the operation will be shuttered all next week (September 29-October 4), though wine, beer, and simple snacks like salumi and cheese will be available. [Inside Scoop]

Meanwhile, Sophina Uong, who quit consulting at Oakland's now-shuttered Captain & Corset a month into its four-month run, has now also left her primary job, at Picán. She's already been replaced by Robert Sapirman (Vesu, Hotel Valencia), who'll retain the restaurant's Southern focus. Owner Michael LeBlanc says that he's also hoping to leverage Sapirman to open two or three more restaurants in Oakland and points unknown. For her part, Uong is hoping to take a break and spend more time with family, and doesn't have a new gig lined up yet. [East Bay Express]

Finally, over at the FiDi's Per Diem, Matthew Bousquet (most recently of Barrel House Tavern and Bistro Jeanty) has come on board. Bousquet owned Michelin-starred Mirepoix in Windsor, which closed in 2011; he's overhauled the menu to feature simple, hearty dishes like spinach ravioli, bucatini bolognese, and roast chicken. [Inside Scoop]