Chef Mike O'Brien OUT at Mikkeller Bar, IN at Monk's Kettle

UNION SQUARE — Mike O’Brien, who opened Mikkeller Bar over two years ago, has left the popular beer bar. Both sides insist it’s an amicable split. Mikkeller Bar owner Chuck Stilphen said they’re in the process of splitting up the partnership now, and that sous chef Miguel Porax will be running the kitchen until they find a permanent or consulting replacement. O’Brien told Eater it was “just time to move on for me. I was looking to make a change and get somewhere that’s a little more food-focused, but along the same lines as far as craft beer.” That place is Monk’s Kettle, where O’Brien will be slowly changing the menu over time. One thing that won’t include is sausages. “It's one of those things that I've kind of always done, so I can't say I’ll never do it again, but I’ll probably take a little break from it for a while,” he said. “I'll keep the setup of the menu pretty much the same and just change the dishes to suit me. I plan on not changing it completely, but I'm sure at some point it will have changed completely over time.” O’Brien officially gets into the Monk’s Kitchen on Tuesday, October 13. [EaterWire]

BERKELEY — Tu David Phu is the new chef in charge of Gather, following opening chef Sean Baker and Charis Wahl most recently. The Oakland native has cooked at the Park Café group, Flora and Acquerello, and is planning a pretty major menu revamp at Gather based on his cooking preferences. Expect to see simpler food focused on fresh, local ingredients, though the housemade cheeses, pastas, pizzas and burgers will all stay. [EaterWire]

SOMA — James Beard award-winning chef Bryant Terry has joined the Museum of the African Diaspora as its first chef-in-residence. Terry will be holding educational workshops and author lecture series in order to raise awareness on issues surrounding health, food and farming. [7x7]