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The French Laundry has been awarded three stars by the Michelin guide, awarded the highest prices in food and wine and considered “the best restaurant in the world, period” by Anthony Bourdain. But Thomas Keller’s legendary restaurant now has a new claim to fame: it’s the place where California politicians go to break their own coronavirus guidelines.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed is under fire after it was revealed she attended a birthday party at the Napa Valley restaurant, just one night after Gov. Gavin Newsom followed suit .
Breed’s eight-member group gathered at the famous restaurant on November 7 to celebrate the birthday of Gorretti Lo Lui, a local socialite whose husband, Lawrence Lui, is a leading hotel developer, reported the San Francisco Chronicle. .
Indoor dining was permitted in Napa County at the time, reports the Chronicle, although statewide guidelines discourage gatherings with members of more than three households.
“Breed’s dinner at a lavish restaurant – in the midst of an economic disaster that has shut down countless small businesses and stretched the lines at local food banks to new lengths – might not have technically violated the rules.” , but it’s not a good look, ”wrote Chronicle columnist Heather Knight, who broke the story.
The French Laundry offers reservations for a number of different dining experiences, including outdoor dining with a tasting menu for $ 350 per person, indoor dining for $ 450 per person, or dinner at white truffles and caviar for $ 1200 per person.
California recorded 7,415 hospitalizations linked to Covid-19 on Sunday, more than ever since the start of the pandemic. Like much of the rest of the country, the state is bracing for an increase in cases after Thanksgiving.
Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday warned the Northern California ICU could reach capacity in early December, with the entire state running out of free intensive care beds by mid-December.
San Francisco officials said on Tuesday they consider tighter restrictions on businesses and private gatherings as cases continue to climb, including new limits on outdoor dining and reduced capacity at gyms and halls. local businesses.
Breed warned that the number of cases in the city had risen sharply and acknowledged that the restrictions had been tough on many residents, including her.
Yet California political leaders have grown into a frustrating habit of flouting the public health guidelines they expect from the public.
Newsom has come under fire after it was revealed he and 11 other guests celebrated the birthday of lobbyist Jason Kinney at the French Laundry in early November. He finally apologized, saying, “I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice.”
Earlier on Tuesday, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo apologized for attending a Thanksgiving dinner with family members from five households – more than state regulations allowed.
Breed did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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