French Laundry, the Michelin-starred Napa Valley eatery in Yountville, California launched by lauded chef Thomas Keller, has debuted a 4,430-square-foot renovation and expansion courtesy of Snøhetta and Berkeley, California-based firm Envelope A+D. The project updated eating areas of the two-story stone cottage and enlarge the kitchen to ensure breeziness throughout.
Diners are welcomed via the reworked courtyard, which is lined with a rusticated basalt stone wall with dramatic entry thresholds. A contemporary new fritted glass addition has arrived within the courtyard, clad with rustic charred wood to contrast the stonework of the original restaurant volume. The black curtain wall of glass is punctuated with a unique curve-based frit pattern inspired by the movements of the culinary team inside.
Boasting 25 percent more working space, the new 2,460-square-foot kitchen annex features a pitched roof that floods the interior with natural light. The low-slung, undulating ceiling is crafted to dampen sound vibrations and enhance internal acoustics. White walls, a wood-burning oven, redesigned countertops, and custom pass tables are also included in the new space.
