George Vogelbacher is no longer the chef at Winter Park Fish Co. On his Facebook status update of Oct. 18 the longtime area chef said, “I just wanted to thank the Winter Park Fish Company for 4 great years. Unfortunately my services are no longer needed. I wish them many more years of success.”

In a private message, Vogelbacher said it was not his decision to leave the restaurant, which he helped open in 2010. He said that when he returned from a family vacation recently, he was told the owners needed to make payroll cuts and that he was let go “with no further discussion.”

“So to be clear,” he added, “it was not my choice, and I did not retire.” Vogelbacher’s Facebook page now lists him as the executive chef and owner of Le Chef 4 You.

Vogelbacher, 72, was the chef and owner of Le Cordon Bleu, a French restaurant that occupied a space where Cask & Larder currently resides. After a fire destroyed the building in 1996, Vogelbacher opened a restaurant in the former Jordan’s Grove space in front of the Enzian theater and called it Nicole St. Pierre after his two children. 

Taking over the kitchen at Winter Park Fish Co. is Clancy Shorter, who was previously the general manager.

The owner of Winter Park Fish Co. was out of town Tuesday and unable to be reached for comment. 

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