Thomas Keller may be the most powerful person in American fine dining, but that doesn’t mean he’s immune to the challenges facing the restaurant industry.
The chef announced on Monday that his Mexican restaurant La Calenda will close at the end of the month. The Yountville spot opened six years ago, adding to Keller’s empire in Napa Valley, where he’s best known for the Michelin three-starred French Laundry. In an Instagram post, Keller wrote that La Calenda will be open November 29 and 30 until 9 p.m., and December 1 until 5 p.m.
“It is with a heavy heart that our restaurant group has decided to close La Calenda at the end of this month,” Keller wrote. “This decision has not been made lightly, and we are acutely aware of the challenges it presents. But try as we might, we cannot find a viable path forward amid the effects of the lack of local traffic and the economic downturn the Napa Valley experienced this last year.”
At La Calenda, which had been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand, Keller collaborated with the chef Kaelin Ulrich Trilling on a menu of Mexican classics. The most recent offerings included small plates such as aguachile, quesadillas, and tacos alongside larger dishes like barbacoa, grilled fish, and pozole. Beverages highlighted tequila and mezcal, and the restaurant worked with Mexican artisans to source its crockery and glassware.
The closing of La Calenda diminishes Keller’s empire just slightly. He will still have five restaurants in Yountville, along with Per Se in New York and spots in Las Vegas and Florida. Next year, he plans to open Coral Casino down the California coast in Santa Barbara. Yet the closing of a restaurant isn’t easy, and Keller acknowledged the strength of La Calenda in his Instagram post.
“We made meaningful memories for our guests, and by striving every day to exceed our high standards, we impacted the culinary landscape,” Keller wrote. “The dedication and hard work were instrumental in establishing a welcoming and generous atmosphere that our guests experienced and embraced … We recognize the personal sacrifices and hard work the team put into La Calenda. They were nimble with change, open to innovative ideas, and established a family-like atmosphere where they looked after one another.”
For just a few more days, diners can experience that one last time.
