Who owns French Laundry? San Francisco Mayor London Breed partied at the restaurant a day after Gov Gavin Newsom
It seems like a restaurant in California has grabbed eyeballs after some dignitaries have visited it despite the Covid-19 pandemic. As per reports London Breed’s press office has stated that a San Francisco mayor attended a birthday dinner at a lavish Yountville restaurant named French Laundry, after California Governor Gavin Newsom did the same and was lambasted for his visit amid pandemic fears.
"On Nov. 7, while taking a few days off after the election, she attended a small family birthday dinner for a friend at an open-air table at the French Laundry. There were eight people in total, including herself," press director Andy Lynch told ABC7. San Francisco Chronicle reported that the dinner took place at the same "partially enclosed room" as the now-infamous Newsom gathering was held.
Lynch reportedly said the mayor paid for her own meal and stressed that at the time of her visit, San Francisco was in the yellow tier, with lower Covid-19 transmission risk. On the other front, Napa County, where French Laundry is located, was in the orange tier where both indoor and outdoor dining were allowed at the time of the mayor's visit."Now, with cases rising, and Bay Area counties moving back into the purple tier, she is once again limiting her actions and is encouraging all San Franciscans to do the same," Lynch said.
On November 6, Governor Gavin Newsom's office had confirmed that the dignitary had a birthday party with over 12 or more people. They mostly included political advisers and their families. The celebration came at a time when California was reeling under the pandemic with surging cases and Governor Newsom himself asking Californians to avoid such gatherings. Since his dinner at the French Laundry, and the criticism that followed, Gov. Newsom had served an apology calling his visit a "big mistake." "The spirit of what I'm preaching all the time was contradictory, and I've got to own that," he said in the apology after being criticized for the visit.
Now that the French Laundry has grabbed headlines, it is worth knowing more about it.
Who owns the French Laundry?
The French Laundry is an expansive 1,600 square-foot structure constructed of river rock and timbers. In 1978, the structure was given the shape of a quaint restaurant by mayor Don Schmitt and his wife Sally. In 1994, the restaurant was purchased by Chef Thomas Keller who is also the present owner of this restaurant.
Chef Keller is a widely renowned personality in the field of culinary arts. He has garnered acclaim as the owner of The French Laundry. He also runs other restaurants that include Bouchon Bistro, with locations in Yountville and Las Vegas; Per Se in New York City; The Surf Club Restaurant in Surfside; Bouchon Bakery in Yountville, and the Mexican eatery La Calenda in Yountville as reported by French Laundry website.
As per the site, Keller, “is the first and only American-born chef to hold multiple three-star ratings from the prestigious Michelin Guide, as well as the first American male chef to be designated a Chevalier of The French Legion of Honor. He has received countless accolades, including The Culinary Institute of America’s 'Chef of the Year' Award and the James Beard Foundation’s 'Outstanding Chef' and 'Outstanding Restaurateur' Awards.”
French Laundry said it has opened its doors for fine dining while keeping in line with the Covid-19 rules. Its website stated, “In compliance with the updated ordinances from Napa County Health Department and the State of California, we are collectively responding to the Covid-19 pandemic in a safe and welcoming manner, and are abiding by local and federal guidelines including required face coverings and the reconfiguration of our outdoor dining spaces to accommodate social distancing and capacity restrictions. These are different times and guest and employee health and safety, are our top priority.”