Franklin Becker, the chef at Brasserie, is leaving the restaurant to pursue his own projects. One is a New American restaurant called Bedford Falls, opening this fall or winter. Bedford Falls, of course, is the name of the town in It’s a Wonderful Life, and Becker says he chose it to convey the “classic, traditional” American theme of the restaurant. “It won’t be comfort food, but rather modern reworkings of classic American tastes in a comfortable atmosphere. Bacon always goes with scallops, so my pork belly and scallops will naturally fit right in.” Becker is now in negotiations with two landlords and will release the new address once the lease is signed. Becker is also in talks about a TV project, but he was reticent to disclose any information prematurely. “It’s almost done,” he says. “It could happen in the next few days.”