Chef Mark Ladner reportedly leaves Babbo following restaurant relaunch

Chef Mark Ladner has reportedly departed from the Greenwich Village restaurant Babbo less than a year after its relaunch. The departure was first reported by Grub Street, citing internal sources.

Ladner’s return was a central component of the restaurant’s revival after Stephen Starr took over Babbo and its sibling restaurant, Lupa, from Joe and Lidia Bastianich in 2025. Ladner, who previously led the highly acclaimed Del Posto, had worked at Babbo during the Mario Batali era. His menu at the reopened establishment aimed to blend classic Babbo dishes, such as beef-cheek ravioli, with his own signature items like 100-layer lasagna.

Neither Ladner nor Starr Restaurants has issued a formal comment regarding the departure, and the restaurant’s website currently still lists him as the executive chef.