On November 16, 2015, the San Diego Union Tribune (
visit link) ran the following story:
"'Top Chef' contestant leaving San Diego
By Lori Weisberg | 8:21 p.m. Nov. 16, 2015 | Updated, 5:03 p.m. | Nov. 17, 2015
Just as San Diego was set to move into the culinary spotlight with the debut next month of "Top Chef's" 13th season, local contestant Chad White is closing his East Village restaurant and leaving town.
The longtime San Diego chef, who will be featured in the Bravo TV series that starts Dec. 2, has decided to close his downtown restaurant of a little more than a year and return to his hometown, Spokane, where he plans to open a small dining venue.
He announced his planned departure on his Facebook page, telling his followers, "This may or may not come as a shock to you but my time in San Diego has come to an end."
The move, he said, will allow him to pursue his passions, not only for cooking, but also hunting and fishing in the Northwest.
"I will be opening a small restaurant focusing on utilizing ingredients native to the inland Northwest,” said. “The restaurant will be small as I plan to get back (to) the roots of cooking and celebrating my love for food and the craft."
White said he had hoped he could forestall the closing of Común Kitchen & Tavern, thinking that the attention he would get from his television appearance would drive traffic to the struggling eatery. But he had known for some time that the restaurant, which specializes in Baja-inspired cuisine, had to close.
Bravo is very tight-lipped about the details of the coming season of its reality cooking show, so it's not known how far White, one of 17 contestants, advanced in the competition.
"We are going to sell the business," said White. "I'm going to sell it for a really good price. Someone is going to get a million-dollar restaurant for a really good price."
Co-owner Shane Brennan said he and his partners could no longer afford to financially prop up the restaurant, even as White tried different strategies over the last several months to save it, like focusing on lower cost items such as tacos, tortas and quesadillas.
“My partners and I have been funding the business for a few months now to try to get us to this point but unfortunately we couldn't get it there, so we had to stop putting money into it,” Brennan said.
Both White and Brennan say their East Village location on J Street at 9th Avenue contributed to their low volumes of diners, especially during the dinner hours. They pointed out that two other nearby restaurants -- Table No. 10 and Toast Enoteca & Cucina -- had to close in recent months, and other shuttered business included a dry cleaners and a coffee house.
"But I also think people may not be willing to pay for good food," White said. "Everyone wants burgers and beers downtown."
White, who has helmed the kitchens of a number of San Diego restaurants, including the now closed Roseville, Sea Rocket Bistro and Gabardine, will leave San Diego on Dec. 5, but will have a farewell gathering on Dec. 3 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Carnitas' Snack Shack in North Park.
He hopes to open his new 40- to 50-seat Spokane restaurant, Native Post & Provisions, next spring."