Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce toasts Manresa’s David Kinch

The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce braved a stormy night Thursday to raise a glass to the town’s food and drink scene at its annual celebration at Testarossa Winery, putting a well-deserved spotlight on David Kinch, the chef and restaurateur who helped put Los Gatos on the culinary map.

Rootstock Wine Bar’s Jim Foley, who is president of the chamber’s board, and Chamber Executive Director Catherine Somers led the crowd in counting off favorites — including a few no longer with us, like CB Hannegan’s — that displayed not only the varied flavors of Los Gatos dining but the camaraderie in the industry.

“You all in the restaurant business look out for each other and take care of each other,” Somers said.

Both Kinch and Testarossa’s Rob Jensen shared a story that exemplified that idea. You probably remember the terrible fire that destroyed Manresa back in July 2014. Jensen recalled being on his way to the winery on College Avenue when he heard about it and immediately headed to the famed Michelin-starred restaurant on Village Lane to find out what he could do to help.

Kinch accepted Jensen’s offer to transport the contents of Manresa’s wine cellar up to Testarossa, where the valuable vino was safely stored away until the restaurant reopened the following January.

While Manresa closed at the end of 2022, Kinch has been staying busy with his other restaurants — The Bywater in Los Gatos and Mentone in Aptos — as well as Manresa bread. And he’s got other projects in the works, too, though he says it’s too early to talk about them.

Kinch said Californians don’t always appreciate how good they have it when it comes to the quality of fruits, vegetables, meat and fish available here. “It’s the reason why we opened up a restaurant here,” he said, comparing Los Gatos to the kind of small city you might find in Europe, where you could stumble upon a memorable gem of a restaurant. “It’s off the beaten path, and I mean that in a good way,” he said.

LUCK OF THE IRISH: Former San Jose Mayor Tom McEnery’s play, “A Statue for Ballybunion,” is all set for its San Jose Playhouse premiere at 3Below Theaters in downtown San Jose on March 16. And if that sounds familiar, that’s because the play was on the cusp of its U.S. premiere three years ago when the COVID-19 pandemic shut it down just days before opening night. Everyone — and I mean everyone — has their fingers crossed that this opening goes off without a hitch.

The play, directed by Jeff Bracco, is about a real event when the small Irish town of Ballybunion decided to erect a statue of then-President Bill Clinton in 1998 to honor his part in the Good Friday Accords — and how it tried to get Clinton to visit. It was first staged in 2017 at the famed pub of Irish playwright John B. Keane in Listowel, Ireland, whom McEnery knew well before Keane’s death in 2002. While it’s billed as a “true Irish comedy,” McEnery views it more as a humor-laced story of a small town trying to bring attention to itself and the relationship between a father who owns a pub and his daughter.

Just as in 2020, the cast includes ComedySportz San Jose founder Jeff Kramer, Silicon Valley Shakespeare Artistic Director Angie Higgins and San Jose Rep founder James Reber. The play runs through March 26, and tickets are available at www.sanjoseplayhouse.org.

HEALTHY HIRE: The Healthier Kids Foundation has found its next leader in Melinda Snavely, who’ll join the nonprofit as its new CEO succeeding Kathleen King, who is retiring this year. It sounds like it should be a good fit, as Snavely has been working with or on behalf of kids throughout her career, including as director of early care and education initiatives at the Santa Clara County Office of Education.

“Melinda is a champion for children and a leader in our community,” said King, who will stay on during a transition period beginning in June. “She brings a wealth of experience, and I am confident that she will take Healthier Kids Foundation to new heights.”

Board Chair Meri Maben said her dedication to the mission and her leadership experience made her the ideal candidate to lead the organization’s next phase. And Snavely rose to the top from a large pool of 375 candidates who applied for the job. Healthier Kids Foundation got its start in 2000 and provides healthcare screenings and educational programs for families in underserved communities in Santa Clara County.

ROAD TRIPPING: Pacific Cocktail Haven, one of San Francisco’s most popular bars, will be getting a downtown San Jose infusion this coming week. Cache Bouren will be bringing a crew from Cash Only and Haberdasher to “take over” PCH on March 14 from 6 to 10 p.m., serving up their Whiskey Apples and Frozen Irish Coffees. Then, George Lahlouh and the team from Paper Plane and Miniboss will do the same on March 15.

SCHOOL SCENE: Congratulations to the students from Harker School in San Jose, which was one of just 16 schools in the nation — and just three in California — to receive the First Amendment Press Freedom Award for 2023, selected by reps from the Journalism Education Association, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society. They’ll be honored next month at the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in San Francisco.