Figuring that 20 years at the very top comprises an authentic legacy, award-winning chef David Kinch is saying goodbye to his three-star Michelin restaurant Manresa at the end of this year.
It’s not settled just what this will mean for Manresa, but Kinch wants to step away from the intensity of the celebrated kitchen in Los Gatos to focus on more casual culinary projects—the Bywater in Los Gatos, Mentone in Aptos and Manresa Bread in partnership with founder and baker Avery Ruzicka.
“Right now, I’m focused on celebrating the next four months with my team and going into the end of the year on a high,” Kinch told me today. “I have plenty to keep me busy with the Bywater, Mentone and Manresa Bread.”
Kinch added that he had “a couple of projects in the works,” but wasn’t ready to get more specific.
In the past two decades, Kinch has won all the awards that count, including membership in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and being named Best Chef in the Pacific Region by the James Beard Foundation.
I first sampled Kinch’s delicious potential back when he cooked at a small dining spot in Saratoga called Sent Sovi. His fame kept pace with his ambition, and the astonishing menu at Manresa, fueled by his own kitchen for many years, evolved and set styles for cuisine around the world.
If you’ve never had the memorable experience of dining at Kinch’s celebrated flagship, now’s the time. The menu, gorgeous food well worth the price tag, reflects the seasons and will be finessed by Kinch along with chef de cuisine Nicholas Romero and pastry chef Courtney Moisant.
Better make your reservation fast. Kinch’s remaining signature at Manresa extends for a mere four more months.
“Yes, 20 years—a lifetime in this business,” he added. “Time for the young bloods.”
