After nearly 7 months off, Sacramento’s lone Michelin-starred restaurant will reopen

Sacramento’s sole Michelin-starred restaurant, mothballed almost entirely since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, is coming back to life.

The Kitchen will reopen for dine-in service next Wednesday at 2225 Hurley Way, according to social media posts and the restaurant’s website.

Prior to the pandemic, The Kitchen commanded its $175-per-person price tag (plus tax, tip and drinks) by offering a dining experience unparalleled anywhere else. Customers were invited to roam The Kitchen’s kitchen between the five courses to snack on small plates and chat with cooks before chef/emcee Kelly McCown launched into his next round of banter.

It’s unclear how COVID-19 might have changed those amenities. The menu posted Wednesday afternoon (highlights include watermelon poke, butter-poached beef tenderloin and a pumpkin crémeux), is eight courses, not five, and still invites diners to enjoy hors d’oeuvres from the kitchen.

Sacramento County restaurants got the green light from the state to reopen for indoor dining at 25% occupancy last week. The Kitchen also has an outdoor patio, which hasn’t previously held tables.

“We are excited to open our dining room to guests even at a very limited capacity,” Selland Family Restaurants CEO Josh Nelson said in a text message.

Selland Family Restaurants had so far opted to keep The Kitchen and sister restaurant Ella Dining Room & Bar closed almost entirely throughout the pandemic, while opening the more casual OBO’ Italian Table & Bar and Selland’s Market-Cafes. The Kitchen reopened for one week before indoor dining was shut down on July 1.

Reservations can be made by calling (916) 568-7171.

This story was originally published October 7, 2020 at 4:39 PM.