Renowned New York chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is negotiating to open a new restaurant in the Shangri-La Hotel in Vancouver early next year.

If he comes, he'll be the second global culinary superstar to commit to a new Vancouver eatery in just over a month -- following chef Daniel Boulud's decision to become a partner in Lumiere restaurant.

"We are in discussions with Jean-Georges Vongerichten for the restaurant at Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver," Shangri-La representative Jill Killeen confirmed Wednesday. "There is no signed agreement at this time.

"Shangri-La intends to bring an exciting, international food and wine dynamic to our first hotel in North America, and even greater excitement to Vancouver's dining scene."

Like Boulud, Vongerichten was born in France and made his name in New York.

The 52-year-old chef currently has more than 15 restaurants throughout the world -- including New York, Chicago, London, Paris, Shanghai, the Bahamas and Bora Bora.

His upscale Jean Georges restaurant on Central Park West in New York is one of just three restaurants in that city with a coveted three-star rating from the Michelin Guide.

Killeen denied earlier speculation the Shangri-La Hotel -- scheduled to open near Georgia and Thurlow in January 2009 -- was trying to attract celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay to open a restaurant in its project.

Barbara-jo McIntosh, owner of Barbara-Jo's Books to Cooks store, said the potential arrival of two such high-powered celebrity chefs in Vancouver reflects the city's growth.

"It's a sign that Vancouver is becoming recognized as a growing metropolis with a culinary scene that is worthy of these grand chefs' attention," she said in an interview. "It's fine, and kind of neat, but it doesn't excite me to an exultant level because we already have a great culinary community.

"I can't imagine myself staying away from Pino's or Bluewater or Bishop's because these guys are coming, but of course I'll go visit them.

"These guys are really, really good, and certainly on an international level it could attract more corporate entertaining [to Vancouver]."

© The Vancouver Sun 2008