Chef David Kinch shows Judith Manning which oysters are which at the Bywater in Los Gatos in 2016. After closing Manresa at the end of 2022, he announced plans to open three new projects in Los Gatos.
John Storey John Storey/Special to the ChronicleFood industry observers have been wondering what’s next for renowned chef David Kinch after he closed his famed, three-Michelin-star restaurant Manresa in Los Gatos at the end of 2022.
Three more restaurants at a splashy new development, it turns out.
Kinch, along with baker Avery Ruzicka and partner Andrew Burnham, intend to lease a 7,100-square-foot building at the Junction, a mixed-use project with retail and apartments at 5011 Los Gatos Blvd., the developer announced Wednesday. They plan to open a second location of Mentone, Kinch’s popular Italian restaurant in Aptos; another Manresa Bread, the hit bakery spin-off led by Ruzicka; and a third, to-be-announced restaurant.
The development is under construction, and they are negotiating the lease, Burnham and Harmonie Park Development said. No opening dates for the restaurants have been set.
Kinch, who ran Manresa for 20 years, said in a previous announcement about the closure that he was burnt out by fine dining and planned to focus on his more casual businesses. He also runs the Bywater, a New Orleans-inspired restaurant in Los Gatos.
Mentone is known for its wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and fresh pasta. Manresa Bread, which has grown from a single original Los Gatos bakery to five locations, has a reputation for excellent breads and pastries made with fresh-milled flour.
At the Junction, there will be 20,000-square-feet total for other food and drink businesses that have yet to be announced. The arrival of Kinch could attract other big names to the project.
This story has been updated to reflect that the business and developer are still negotiating the lease.
Elena Kadvany (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany
