The Pasadena Restaurant Bar Chelou finishing and the Eaton's fire parted

After two years of slinging in new dishes, gathering Awards and national discussionand establishing a destination at the outside of Old Town Pasadena, Chef Doug Rankin Rankin Restaurant Weird Bar Tie February 16, 2025. Rankin decided not to expand his lease, ending by the end of February. The chef tells food that Bar Cheleou, naming Best New Restaurant In Los Angeles in 2023, finally move to Denver, Colorado.

Rankin said that many reasons have contributed to his decision to close. Bar Cheleou owner asked the rank of changing five years of rent. Although rank is credited to rank as he runs the restaurant, he hesitates to take a long time.

Pasadena also shared a border with Altadena, a neighborhood Greatly affected by Eaton fire. The damaging Fire kills 17 people and destroys 15,000 structures in place; A lot of Altadena residents are moved or lost their homes. (Rankin's parents were transferred to Palisades Fire chasing the same time.) Rankin says up to 30 percent of regular bar cheleou lives in Aladena. The restaurant, he said, continued a busy step until January 7, when the Senon fire passed through Aladena. Although Bar Chelou has only been closed in three days, when the rank of January 10 is reopened, and in weeks following, the business begins to work hard – briefly, Customers do not enter.

“We make ourselves in a drop, we know that there are 20 to 30 percent of the business decline,” says the rank. “But honestly, it's closer to 50 percent. I love this city so much and I think we're here forever. But you need to read the writing on the wall and cut your defeats.”

Rankin opened Bar Chelou on January 2023. After he engaged with the full cluster friendliness, Bar Cheleou took the past it Space next door to Pasadena Playhouse to prepare a menu with his Los Angeles influence on classic French, also landing with spanishes, French flavors. The sign of Bar Chelou Clam and Carrot Râpées wearing coconut, lime, nuts fried fatatos taken in the area of ​​place in the area of ​​the area of ​​the area, even those who do not usually make to travel to go to meal.

Wonho Frank Lee

When opening this year, Bar Chelou made the Times of Los Angeles 101 best restaurant listings in 2023 and 2024, one of the food 12 newest new American restaurantsand praise from New York Times In this 25 best restaurants in Los Angeles today at 2023.

Although his meal becomes one of Pasadena's hottest places, many devotees follow rank from his past Bar Restaurant at Silver Lake. Rankin also carried most of the team of Kusha at Bar Restaurant, including Chef de Chef de Emilio Perez (currently employed in Beverly Hills), and sous chef Peton Johnson.

Before moving rank, he will cook the pop-up capacity across Southern California, he says. Rankin knows the inspiration today at Denver's scene, finding Los Angeles Chefs successfully opening new restaurants, including his former teacher, chef Ludo Lefebvrewho opens Chez Magggy In Denver at 2022. He even plans to return Bar Chelou in Colorado, he still saw the possibility of returning to the Los Angeles restaurant restaurant. The rank said most of his original team did not even have nothing to do, other than some moving projects more agreeable to their passions. He quickly buy them for the success of Bar Cheleou.

“Bar Chelou's bar building is an unusual experience and the concept will live in. I am very grateful to my partners and my team and all that is part of it so far,” says rank.

Wonho Frank Lee