One of Fort Worth's most elegant dining treasures is making a comeback with a little celebrity ka-pow: Café Modern, the acclaimed restaurant at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, will reopen on May 18 under new management, with a new menu and a famous new chef.

The restaurant changed management hands in January when it was taken over by Wolfgang Puck Catering, a national company that manages dining at facilities and museums across the U.S. In Dallas-Fort Worth, the company already oversees programs at AT&T Performing Arts Center, Nasher Sculpture Center, Perot Museum, Theater at Grand Prairie, and Union Station in downtown Dallas.

But Café Modern scored a big name in Jett Mora, a Wolfgang Puck Catering veteran who is actually moving to Fort Worth to lead the culinary team at the Modern, which is kind of a big deal.

Mora is a native of Los Angeles who began working for Wolfgang Puck Catering in 2011 in the company's flagship Hollywood kitchen, creating menus for weddings, special events, corporate galas, and some of the country’s premier events, including the Oscars Governors Ball. He also served as executive chef at Puck's West Hollywood restaurant Red Seven, before cooking inside Wolfgang's Test Kitchen, a culinary incubator.

Café Modern, which has been closed since March 2020 due to the pandemic, was previously managed by Bon Appetit; they parted ways in January.

The new menu features comfort food with global influences and a beverage program showcasing local spirits.

Lunch menu highlights include:

• Sicilian Melt featuring eggplant, portabella, and fontina cheese on sourdough
• Chicken paillard with warm local rainbow chard salad
• Mahi mahi with Bengali curry, sugar snap peas, and zucchini
• Charred kalbi beef bowl with chili garlic rice and kimchi pickled vegetables

Brunch menu highlights include:

• Birria beef migas with toasted corn tortilla omelet and guajillo chile-braised beef
• Southern fried chicken biscuit sandwich

They'll be open for lunch Tuesday-Friday, 11 am-2:30 pm. Brunch is served both Saturday and Sunday, 10 am-3 pm.

Beverages and Light Bites will be available Tuesday-Sunday from 10 am-5 pm, and Friday from 10 am-10 pm.

Dinner service is coming soon on Fridays, 5 pm-8:30 pm.