Through a trust, the Luries last year paid $14 million for the four parcels that make up the 13-acre property known as Inwood, which also has a three-hole golf course. (Greens.) On one side of the estate, the Luries added a berm and mature trees. (More green.)
"It's going to be a beautiful property when they finish," said Cheryl Gelber, a township commissioner.
The Luries, who live in Haverford, declined to comment. They are making other changes to the 18-room Inwood, including removal of an indoor pool in favor of at least one lap pool inside a new, two-level recreation center.
Inwood was the home of Walter Annenberg, the philanthropist/ambassador/publisher, and his wife, Leonore. She moved to California after his death in 2002.
Food stuff
High-level kitchen turnover is rare at the Four Seasons Hotel, and Miami-bred
Rafael Gonzalez, 35, will become only its third executive chef in 25 years, overseeing its top-rated Fountain Restaurant and Swann Lounge. Gonzalez, now at the Four Seasons in Vancouver, British Columbia, flies in with his wife and baby in mid-January. As for food, "we'll make it modern in the sense of lighter presentations, and we'll do different desserts," he says. "The last course has to be a wow factor." He replaces
Martin Hamann, who joined the Union League.
South Philly's Adam Gertler, runner-up on The Next Food Network Star, has a Jan. 19 start date (8:30 p.m.) for Will Work for Food, his new Food Network series. Gertler gets to join such folks as a beekeeper, a Benihana chef, and wine-cave digger. TNFNS's winner, Camden's Aaron McCargo Jr., starts his second season of Big Daddy's House at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 4.
