Manresa Receives Accolades from AAA and Forbes Travel Guide; Chef Kinch takes part in La Paulée, GourmetFest, and CARE’S the ethical Chef Days; More Days and Ways to Enjoy The Bywater; and HANLOH Thai Pops-Up at Manresa Bread Campbell

As we anticipate spring and a respite from the recent rainy weather, we celebrate our team, which was recognized again for their hard work and dedication under the leadership of Chef David Kinch and General Manager Jenny Yun. This year, Manresa earned the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Rating and a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating, which both identify exemplary restaurants in the realms of service, cuisine, and culture. We are honored to be placed in great company with high-caliber restaurants from around the country and world.

Additionally, on March 9, Chef Kinch joined fellow accomplished Chef Daniel Boulud of DANIEL, Chef Melissa Rodriguez of Del Posto, and Chef César Troisgros of France’s Maison Troisgros to cook at this year’s La Paulée Gala, held in New York. The annual event celebrates Burgundy wines, featuring current releases and older vintages.

 

Photo by Marc Fiorito

Closer to home, Chef Kinch will collaborate with talented, fellow Relais & Châteaux chefs at GourmetFest 2019’s Rarities Dinner on Friday, March 15th in Carmel. Aubergine’s Executive Chef Justin Cogley and Pastry Chef Yulanda Santos will host the decadent 10-course dinner, to feature Chef Kinch alongside Chef Michael Tusk of Quince and Chef Walter Manzke of République. For tickets, please call 821.622.5907.

Later this month, Chef Kinch travels to Italy to participate in CARE’S the ethical Chef Days, at which he will convene with international culinary leaders for crucial conversations centered on environmental sustainability.

The Bywater Oysters

For fans of The Bywater, Mardi-Gras may be over, but we have another reason to celebrate—The Bywater is now open for dinner seven days a week and brunch Friday–Sunday. On Mondays, in addition to the full dinner menu, an Industry Night Happy Hour will run all-night at the bar from 4–9 p.m. Juleps, Sazeracs, Daiquiris, and Hurricanes abound.

And, on Wednesday, March 13, Manresa Bread Partner and Head Baker Avery Ruzicka will welcome HANLOH Thai Food Founder and Manresa alum Lalita Kaewsawang for a collaboration at Manresa Bread Campbell. Guests will enjoy Thai comfort food dishes from 12–8 p.m. along with two sandwiches from Ruzicka, Manresa Bread Campbell Chef Karen Lujan, and Kaewsawang, made on Manresa Bread loaves.

We look forward to the arrival of spring and seeing you at Manresa to enjoy its bounty, from morel mushrooms to asparagus “colossal.” We invite you to visit our website or call us at 408.354.4330 for reservation availability. Follow us on Instagram for additional updates and a window into our kitchen, the heart of Manresa.

Manresa Celebrates Three Michelin Stars for the Fourth Consecutive Year; Chef David Kinch Named #8 on Le Chef’s “Top 100 Chefs” List; the Opening of Manresa Bread Campbell; and Festivities Continuing Into the New Year

Manresa is honored to accept Michelin’s highest three-star rating for 2019, marking the fourth consecutive year that the restaurant has received the award. We were delighted to celebrate last week with our dedicated team, and alongside fellow Bay Area Michelin star recipients. We would like to specially congratulate Chef Dominique Crenn—the United States’s first female chef to attain three Michelin stars—and Kyle and Katina Connaughton of Single Thread, who also received their third star.

Les 100 Chefs

The Michelin news came as Chef David Kinch attended the Chef’s World Summit in Monaco, where Le Chef Magazine recognized him as the #8 chef on its international “Top 100 Chefs” list. The peer-based award asks all two- and three-Michelin-starred chefs to name five colleagues they feel best represent the cooking profession and one chef who they feel should place first. To be acknowledged by these talented chefs is a great honor, especially as Chef Kinch was the only American in the top 10.

In November, Chef Kinch also traveled to New Orleans to participate in Emeril Lagasse’s annual Carnivale du Vin, a weekend of fundraising events benefitting the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. In total, the events raised $3 million for the foundation, which funds local youth charities centered around culinary, nutrition, and arts education.

Without the entire Manresa team’s relentless diligence and commitment, we would not have been able to realize these successes. This holiday season, we look forward to setting the table as you celebrate your 2018 achievements.

While we are usually closed on Mondays, we will be open for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinners. On New Year’s Eve we will offer a tasting menu priced at $325 per guest. Our Wine Director, Jim Rollston MS, has selected several special bottles for this evening, with optional wine pairings available for $245 per person. We will offer our regular Chef’s Tasting Menu for Christmas Eve. We invite you to visit our website or call us at 408.354.4330 for reservation availability.

We also celebrate our newest Manresa family addition, Manresa Bread Campbell led by Partner and Head Baker Avery Ruzicka. The all-day café is now open at 195 E. Campbell Ave. from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. Chef Todd Parker, formerly of the Manresa kitchen, has collaborated on a menu with toasts, sandwiches, grain bowls, and evening items like Sourdough Spaetzle Cacio e Pepe and a take on Manresa’s Parmesan Churros accompanied by Romesco. Elements of the bread program are woven throughout, including fresh-milled tortillas for the Breakfast Tacos, Manresa Bread Granola on the Coconut Tapioca Pearls with Seasonal Fruit, brewer’s yeast on the Little Gem Salad, and more. Plus, a curated selection of beer, wine, and cocktails is featured.

For guests hosting holiday festivities, Manresa Bread will debut seasonal items ranging from a Chocolate Hazelnut Panettone to a Yuzu Lemon Tart, available for pre-order through the website, for in-store pick-up, or for nationwide shipping.

Whether you ring in the New Year with us at Manresa, or break Manresa Bread at home with friends and family, we toast to you! We thank you for your continued support throughout the year, and wish you the very best for a happy and healthy 2019.

Manresa Reopens with New Dishes, Looks Ahead to Manresa Bread Campbell Opening, and The Bywater’s El Puerco Borracho Events

David Spiegelman/Wagstaff Digital

Over the past 16 years, Manresa has been a place for family and friends to gather, celebrate, and enjoy one-of-a-kind culinary experiences, led by the vision of Chef David Kinch. We are thrilled to welcome you back to a rejuvenated restaurant with vibrant new dishes—just in time for the holidays. While we are usually closed on Mondays, we will open for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinners this year. We invite you to visit our website or call us at 408.354.4330 for reservation availability. We accept reservations up to 90-days in advance.

As you may have heard, this summer we experienced a fire while the restaurant was closed over our weekend, which resulted in a temporary closure. Luckily no one was injured, and the fire was quickly contained by our incredible fire department. While this unfortunate circumstance forced us to close our doors for repairs, we worked diligently behind-the-scenes to create new dishes with the changing season—including a new take on our signature “Into the Vegetable Garden” dish—which celebrates the diversity, color, size, shape, cultivators, complexities, and variety of the humble tomato. With our reopening, we reaffirm our commitment to innovation and our dedication to our guests and look forward to hosting you soon.

And speaking of openings, later this fall, Manresa Bread will launch its third location in Campbell, CA, at 195 E. Campbell Ave. The all-day café concept will serve toasts, sandwiches, small plates, and pastries, as well as beer, wine, and seasonal cocktails—and, of course, Partner and Head Baker Avery Ruzicka’s artisan loaves. For now, savor Manresa Bread’s delectable, house-milled creations at the two brick-and-mortar locations in Los Gatos and Los Altos, at the Campbell and Palo Alto farmers’ market stands, and at Northern California Verve Coffee locations. Additionally, seasonal holiday offerings like house-milled Brioche Rolls, Chocolate Babka, Triple Chocolate Orange Panettone, and fresh fruit jams may be ordered through the website for in-store pick-up or for nationwide shipping. 

In other news, for a casual night out, The Bywater will be hosting its playful and delicious El Puerco Borracho events on Tuesday, November 13 and Tuesday, December 11, featuring Mexican-inspired cocktails and comida. Highlights include the Tocino Y Huevos cocktail, with bacon fat-washed reposado, smoked cane, lemon, and egg white; and Torta Ahogada with Carnitas and Salsa de Molcajete.

Lastly, our friend, Christine Muhlke—founder of Bureau X, Co-Author of Manresa: An Edible Reflection, and Editor-at-Large for Bon Appétit—has launched xtine a newsletter and website that serves as an insightful guide for what to eat, cook, and buy. We hope you visit the site and appreciate it as much as we do.

Thank you for your continued support throughout the past 16 years. Your enthusiasm drives us to elevate the Manresa experience and ensure that each of your visits is better than the last. We look forward to hosting you soon and embracing this culinary journey for many years to come.