Cyrus held two stars before closing due to a landlord dispute at its original Healdsburg location in 2012. When Cyrus and chef/owner Douglas Keane reopened in Geyserville in 2022, the restaurant swiftly earned a Michelin star, reclaiming its place on the North Bay’s fine-dining map. The sting of losing a star The Farmhouse Inn in Forestville is familiar with the sting of a Michelin loss. After more than a decade with a star to its name, the restaurant saw it slip away in 2021. Co-owner Joe Bartolomei is candid about what it really means when the shine from the star fades. “The chef received the recognition of the star, not the restaurant,” he says, referring to Farmhouse’s former longtime chef Steve Litke, who helmed the Forestville restaurant’s kitchen throughout its 14 year stint with a Michelin star. Litke retired in 2021, and with him went the star. Bartolomei adds that the Michelin inspectors come back year after year to see if the magic still holds. He goes on to explain that there are two ways a restaurant can lose a star. “One scenario,” he says, “is that Michelin re-evaluates and decides you’re not worthy—or not as strong as you once were.” Many diners rely on the ranking; they trust the guide, he says. “So if a restaurant loses a star, it sends a clear signal: It’s not as good as it used to be—and people think, ‘I’m not going there.’” The other scenario is a chef leaving, he explains. “Our chef retired in 2022, and you automatically lose a star when the chef leaves—whether they retire, are fired or whatever the situation might be.” To regain Michelin’s attention, a restaurant has to bring in a new chef and re-establish itself. “Today, we have a phenomenal chef—Craig Wilmer—who’s worked at Secret in San Francisco, Quoi and Barndiva,” he says. “But getting back on Michelin’s radar is tough. They only visit a handful of restaurants each year. In fact, in all of Sonoma, only one restaurant earned a [new] star recently.” [That restaurant is Enclos in Sonoma.] Having held a Michelin star for 14 years, Bartolomei reflects on what that recognition meant for the restaurant. “We know exactly what the quality needs to be,” he says. But he notes that running the business today feels different, shaped as much by the local community as by the Michelin legacy. “When [Steve Litke] retired, we celebrated his career and sent him off on a high note,” says Bartolomei. “Since then, we’ve been rebuilding our local presence amid a lot of changes in the county’s restaurant scene. Many people still remember us as a Michelin-starred restaurant—there are definitely pros and cons to that legacy.” Looking back at their early days, Bartolomei explains how the restaurant helped define fine dining in Sonoma County. “We opened in 2001, before SingleThread and Cyrus, when there wasn’t much in the way of super-fine-dining in the area,” Bartolomei says. “In many ways, we helped pave the way. My sister Catherine, who is also my partner, is a fifth-generation Sonoma County native, and we continue to benefit from the credibility and recognition the star brought.” Still, he cautions that Michelin’s process is elusive. “The system is very secretive—you never really know when
Gone But Not Forgotten The Michelin Guide has been covering San Francisco Bay Area restaurants since 2006. Here are a handful of North Bay restaurants that received Michelin stars and closed within five years. • Mirepoix in Windsor received a star in 2011 and rebranded as a barbecue restaurant later that year. • Applewood in Guerneville was bestowed stars in 2011 and 2012; closed in 2015. • Ubuntu in Napa received stars from 2010 to 2012; it closed in 2012. • El Paseo in Mill Valley was awarded a star in 2010, before being sold to musician Sammy Hagar and chef Tyler Florence and rebranding as a steakhouse in 2011. • Martini Hous e in St. Helena received a star in 2007; closed in 2010. • Etoile in Yountville enjoyed stars in 2011 and 2012, before closing in 2015. Other restaurants that received Michelin stars and closed sometime after, include: • Redd in Yountville received stars from 2008 to 2014; it closed in 2018. • K&L Bistro in Sebastopol earned stars multiple times beginning in 2007; it closed in 2022. • Murray Circle in Sausalito received stars multiple times beginning in 2009; the restaurant closed in 2023.
October 2025
NorthBaybiz 41
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