The reopening date for Chez Panisse has been postponed following the discovery that damage was more substantial than thought.
Fire broke out at the famous Berkeley restaurant early in the morning of March 8 but thanks to the automatic sprinkler system, much of the damage was contained to the exterior.
Founder and chef Alice Waters had hoped to reopen at least the upstairs cafe quite soon but the San Francisco Chronicle reports that is going to take longer than was initially estimated. There was significant damage to the front _ an elegant wooden facade _ side and underneath the building, which used to be a house.
On Tuesday, Waters tweeted: “We are hard at work! Thanks to all for your beautiful support–check here for the latest: http://tinyurl.com/y87cboj
The last fire at the restaurant happened almost exactly 31 years ago, on March 7, 1982. That fire was caused by a stove ember that ignited cooking coals. Cause of this fire is still under investigation.
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Cheers.
Chez Panisse fire underscores the importance of sprinklers. http://t.co/HtFYOVzXRP