David Tanis: The Chez Panisse Porch Is Gone, the Memories ...

To encounter the remains of a destructive fire, like the one that ravaged a portion of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., early Friday morning, is a traumatic experience, even if no one was injured. As a longtime member of the Chez Panisse family ??I was the chef there on and off from the mid-1980s through 2011 ? my heart goes out to Alice Waters and the staff. It is especially traumatic for those who know the history of the place. In the wake of such an accident, memories are everywhere.

The part of the downstairs dining room that was destroyed, along with the exterior facade, known as ?the porch,? was the last remaining portion of the original remodel of the former apartment building that was to become Chez Panisse over 40 years ago. With its bay windows and hand-crafted redwood paneling, built by the artisan Kip Mesirow and a motley crew of carpenters, the porch had the best seats in the house, most requested by customers and usually reserved for regulars and V.I.P.?s. It could be arranged with a few two-tops, ideal for intimate t?te-?-t?te dining, or converted to a table of 8 or 10 for a festive semi-private party. In the early evening, it was a glorious spot to observe the dramatic West Coast sunsets. Toward midnight, with the last diners lingering, it twinkled with candlelight.

But the during the day, the porch had a different function. It was the traditional place for Alice and the general manager to convene staff meetings, and for interviews to be held. It was a quiet corner to huddle for secret discussions undisturbed. The early-morning cafe menu meetings always happened there, and it was where prospective cooks, required to prepare a tryout lunch, nervously served a meal to a group of in-house judges.

Knowing Alice, ever resilient and forward looking, the porch will be rebuilt, perhaps more beautifully or in a more practical fashion. But it will never again have the charming architectural mix of Arts and Crafts, Art Deco and Swiss Chalet, nor will it ever feel like the last vestige of the original Chez Panisse.

Source: http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/08/the-porch-is-gone-the-memories-remain/

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