A Burlington chef will soon lead the kitchen of a high-profile new Boston restaurant. Majestic’s Micah Tavelli is leaving Vermont to join Union Square Hospitality Group as executive chef of Ci Siamo Boston, an Italian restaurant set to open in the Seaport District neighborhood this year.
Ci Siamo is a centerpiece of the group’s recent expansion into Boston from New York, where founder Danny Meyer built an empire with restaurants such as Union Square Café and Gramercy Tavern.
Tavelli’s last day at Majestic is August 15. Dan Schloemer will be the next chef at the neighborhood spot in Burlington’s South End, owner Sam Tolstoi told Seven Days.
Schloemer was Tavelli’s sous chef at Paradiso Hi-Fi, where Tavelli received a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist nod for Best Chef: Northeast. Both are alums of Hen of the Wood in Burlington. Schloemer was most recently sous chef at La Reprise.
“Dan cooks a pretty similar style to Micah,” Tolstoi said, though the menu will likely “lean a little more casual.” More importantly in the small space with an open kitchen, he said, “[Dan] really fits the vibe of this place.”
It’s Tolstoi’s second time looking for a new chef since opening Majestic in November 2024; he hired Tavelli when original chef/co-owner Maura O’Sullivan stepped away last year. He said he was amazed at how much interest there was in the role, and he “fully supports” Tavelli’s big move.
“I’m super proud of him,” Tolstoi said, before gently ribbing the chef about his new job: “We’ve got a pretty chill thing going on here, and I think it’s not going to be that. But it’ll be great for his future.”
The rest of Majestic’s staff, including sous and pastry chef Quinn Gervia and three front-of-house managers who have small ownership stakes, is staying. It’s the restaurant’s busiest time of year, Tolstoi said, so the menu won’t change much into the fall.
The team at Majestic “helped restore my love for restaurants and cooking,” Tavelli said. “Vermont is such a special place,” he continued. “I don’t think I’d be the man or the chef I am today if not for living and learning here.”
This article appears in August 5 • 2026.
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