Michelin-Starred Marlena Simply Misplaced Its Two Cooks, Who Are Transferring On to a New Challenge
Gourmet gem Marlena in Bernal Heights has lost the chef couple who gave the three-year-old restaurant Michelin star status in its first year, despite opening at the height of the pandemic.
It was an odd development last month when we learned that chefs David Fisher and Serena Chow Fisher have been linked to a new venture in Japantown/Lower Pac Heights — taking over the space, which continues to be run by Gardenias. They are involved in this project along with Ryan Cole from Hi Neighbor Hospitality Group (Trestle, The Madrigal, The Vault Steakhouse) who also helped open Marlena.
As Eater first reported, the Fishers have now effectively exited the Marlena building, releasing a statement on Instagram saying they have parted ways with the restaurant owner due to a vision conflict.
“When we opened Marlena almost three years ago, during the pandemic, we started serving chicken sandwiches in take-out picnic baskets,” they write. “We put our heart, soul and resources into the restaurant as if it were our own, even naming Marlena in homage to David’s late mother… Unfortunately, we were at odds with the owner of Marlena over differing ideas of.” Hospitality advised.” and integrity, and as it reached an impasse our only option was to exit the restaurant.
They go on to say that they “have partnered with Hi Neighbor Hospitality Group for real ownership of a new restaurant that we plan to share with you in the fall.”
David Fisher recently told Eater that Marlena “morphs into something we don’t want to be a part of anymore.” And Eater notes that the restaurant’s liquor license is in the name of Stephane Roulland and something called Bouillon LLC and the Fishers never had an ownership interest.
There’s no word on what happens to Marlena next, all we know is that the Fishers will be back on 1963’s Sutter Street in a few months. The name “Doing Business As” on the spirits license transfer there is “7 Adams,” but that could just be a placeholder and the chefs aren’t sharing details just yet. Gardenias also hasn’t said if it’s closing or moving.
David and Serena Chow Fisher met in New York while working at Pearl & Ash, and Serena also worked as a pastry chef at three-Michelin-star Eleven Madison Park.
Until now: Michelin-starred Marlena Chefs expand to Japantown
