December 13, 2022 – Drum roll, please. Or, to be more accurate, four drum rolls.
Put differently, as accomplished hotelier and Mirabel Hotel & Restaurant Group chief David Fink says himself, he has “a lot on his plate.”
That phrase came up organically as Fink guided Edible through the various projects in process at the moment, days after L’Auberge Carmel Relais & Châteaux retained a Michelin star for Aubergine.
And it is a lot. Here appear five quick-fire updates on all the moving parts:
1. Rocky Point opening is still a thing (albeit a thing a ways off in the future).
When EMB broke word that Fink, partners Esperanza Carmel and chef Justin Cogley would introduce their savvy for service and flavor to a storied property on the cusp of Big Sur, a lot of eaters started salivating.
The good news there: Rocky Point is currently getting the property audit it has deserved for a long time.
On that front, Fink is frank.
“The building is in terrible condition,” he says, noting his team is in preliminary talks with Monterey County officials to see how ambitious of an overhaul they can undertake. “It’s likely we’ll have to rebuild it.”
That brings on not-so-savory news: That’s gonna take a while, particularly with the other projects listed below.
No timeline for opening will be made public in the foreseeable future.
So the salivating will continue indefinitely, with Cogley’s thoughts on the new RP echoing around the Big Sur cliffs: “You’re on the ocean and want to eat simple seafood…and that’s the dream place to go for it.”
2. Big hotel things are happening in two destination places.
As a leader in the rarified air of the Relais & Châteaux family of international boutique lodgings, Fink sets standards higher than many.
Along with his partner in life and hospitality, Janet Elarmo, he’s incubating a historic spot in the heart of the Burgundy wine region—specifically, Beaune, France—while also developing a game changer in Carmel (see next entry).
Maison 1896 will incorporate a tornado of talents from across the hospitality space. Charles Phan of Slanted Door fame will direct the food. Saison Hospitality’s Mark Bright will organize the wine program.
It all happens in partnership with noted Burgundian wine family Maison Joseph Drouhin, led by president Frederic Drouhin.
“When David came to us with the idea to restore this beautiful old building…and convert it into a luxury hotel and restaurant,” Drouhin says, “I immediately got onboard.”
Phan adds this: ““My goal was always to elevate Vietnamese cooking, focusing on local farmers and their ingredients [and] I have always loved the wines of Burgundy…when [Fink] told me about his new project in France, I knew it was another step for me to grow, focus on the beautiful local ingredients surrounding Beaune, and bring a special, unique experience to this incredible destination.”
Expected opening timeline: summer 2023.
3. Hotel Carmel Beach is a thing.
There are not many locally owned hotels in Carmel, despite two dozen lodging spots in its tiny square-mile footprint. Tradewinds and Hofsas House are the only two I know of that qualify.
That will change when Fink and company reinvent the former Colonial Terrace Inn, at 13th and San Antonio, 100 steps from Carmel Beach.
“It’s a lot of travel and a lot of work, getting two hotels started on two different continents,” Fink says. “COVID has pushed them together rather than apart. But how can we complain? They’re in two of the most beautiful places in the world.”
He hesitates to add more detail for now, other than a conservative opening timeline of spring 2023.
4. Salumeria Luca is no longer a thing.
The sister and neighbor spot to Cantinetta Luca is listed as “temporarily closed” on the almighty Google machine, but the absence will be lasting.
Construction to make the space fire safe is ongoing, and the standing plan is to lease it to another operator.
Given the hood and other kitchen infrastructure in place, it could host a food venue, on one of the most populous blocks for quality restaurants in the region.
5. GourmetFest Carmel will be a thing again!
Keeping with the theme, the plate remains packed, so the food-and-wine festival that for years came overloaded with name-check chefs and world-class wineries represents a lower priority than the hotels underway.
Spring 2024 will be the target date for its return.
“We’re looking forward to bringing it back, partly because it’s so much fun for us to do,” Fink says.
Meanwhile he is framing the return as an evolution.
“It will be GourmetFest 2.0,” Fink says, “because we’ll do some fine-tuning.”
More at mirabelgroup.com.
About the author
Mark C. Anderson, Edible Monterey Bay's managing editor, appears on "Friday Found Treasures" via KRML 94.7 every week, a little after 12pm noon. Reach him via mark@ediblemontereybay.com.
