02/08/2022
Nearly twenty years ago, John and I were sharing a Cobb salad at a sports bar while on vacation in Michigan. We were brainstorming ideas for a business that would allow us to spend more time together, as a family and in northern Michigan, but we kept getting distracted by the sounds of the cooking show blaring from the televisions at the bar. What a drag it must be, we thought, to pay good money to sit in that television audience and be tantalized by aromas of deliciousness without getting to savor any of it...
An idea was born that refused to be ignored and lead to our opening A Chef's Kitchen on August 13, 2004. Our twenty-seven seat 'restaurant' operated continuously, except for brief hiatuses to northern Michigan, through March 14, 2020 when we closed due to safety concerns over COVID-19.
Our small wine shop opened again in May 2020, but our unique business model made social distancing during our dinner classes impossible. A Chef's Kitchen's closure stretched out -- and stretched us -- until our scheduled re-opening date of November 2, 2021.
The unthinkable happened in October. John passed away.
The struggle since then has been to come to terms with losing John and to search for a way to continue without him. The former remains a daunting task, but we have accepted defeat of the latter and are permanently closing A Chef's Kitchen, a place without peer.
John Gonzales’ and Nick Allen’s world-class culinary skills were executed to a high degree of excellence, in front of a live audience, five nights a week. Think about that. They had no place to hide. Leaving twenty-seven people hangry was a constant risk because there was no backup food to serve if it all went south. Yet that didn't happen. They handled it all with aplomb and such expertise that they made it look (almost) easy. Their chemistry added another dimension to everything they did. They entertained us.
John and Nick shared their knowledge of food science and food history in an understandable and relatable way. They wrote recipes - that worked! - and patiently answered all questions until the answers were understood. They weren’t only asked for advice during service, but by email and phone. They were sought out during the daytime prep hours and while shopping at the grocers. They took the time to make themselves available to help, no matter how busy they were. And they were always busy.
The other members of our small team, each essential to a complete and successful experience, are likewise committed top-tier professionals and human beings. You know them. Sheree Press and Deidre Knutty-Williams. Shane Williams and Germaine Wellington. A Chef’s Kitchen’s family. Our family of Incomparables.
John and I knew that our concept could work and be something special. We knew that at the gut-level required to make the necessary sacrifices and to risk everything we had — and more — to make it happen. We did not know, had no inkling, of how profoundly we would be moved by our patrons. Getting to meet and know so many good people has been a gift. Your eighteen years of enthusiasm and loyalty has been deeply and personally felt. The encouragement we got from many hundreds of you helped carry us through the darkest days of our eighteen-month shutdown. We would have let go of hope for A Chef’s Kitchen without that and I thank you with my whole being. Your outpouring of love and respect for John since his passing has been a solace.
I hope you remember A Chef’s Kitchen as a place where magic happened, aromas of deliciousness tantalized and the food was savored by all.
With love,
Wanda Gonzales
