Everyone has heard of an artist-in-residency program, but a chef-in-residency program is still a relatively new notion. That did not stop the Oxbow Public Market — a neighborhood marketplace in downtown Napa, Calif., that is filled with eclectic local food vendors and artisan craft retailers — to embrace the idea by offering shorter term three- to six-month leases to any restaurateur interested in testing out a new dining concept within its space.
The pop-up restaurant format, conceived of by the Oxbow Public Market’s market manager, allows a budding restaurateur access to an 800-s.f. restaurant space that had formerly been occupied by Milestone Provisions, a local butcher shop/eatery that recently vacated the unit. The lease prices will vary based on the season and the length of stay. The Oxbow Public Market is an ideal location for a restaurateur to test the local waters, as it is in the popular historic Oxbow District of downtown Napa. The location is also connected to The First Street District, a main strolling corridor filled with unique independent vendors, as well as nationally known tenants such as Lululemon, Free People and Anthropologie.
A chef from Stateline Road Smokehouse, a Kansas City-inspired barbecue food concept, was the first to participate in the Oxbow Public Market’s chef-in-residency program, agreeing to a lease that runs from October 2023 until February 2024. The chef then expects to open a permanent restaurant by early to mid-2024 in the Rail Arts District, an industrial public arts section of Napa that is currently undergoing revitalization. The chef is currently serving up a sampling menu of what will eventually be offered at the permanent location, and he sees the program as a great way to promote his upcoming restaurant to the local community.
This chef-in-residency format may become a new national trend, especially within popular “foodie” communities. The customers benefit from the program, as they are regularly rewarded with brand new dining options. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the retail establishment itself gains increased foot traffic due to the excitement over tasting the latest cuisine options offered by the revolving chefs-in-residency.
