Oak Barrel American Bistro and Artisan Bakery will be closing after dinner service this Saturday, July 30. As first reported by Feast Magazine, chef-owner Todd Kussman posted the message on the restaurant’s Facebook page this afternoon, citing personal matters.
Kussman told The Scoop that the decision to close was made this week and that it is “family and relationship related.” “There is stuff I need to give attention to,” he explained. “This restaurant business is always a challenge. You are pulled in many directions; sometimes you can balance everything and sometimes you can’t.” While Kussman stated that he has no immediate plans, he added that he “will stick around the food industry in some capacity or another.”
You’ll remember that Kussman retooled the concept of his St. Charles establishment, French Gourmet Bakery and Café, last winter. He renamed it Oak Barrel American Bistro and Artisan Bakery and added a bistro component to the Euro-style baked goods and desserts previously offered. See Michael Renner’s June 2011 review of Oak Barrel here.
— Photo by David Kovaluk
This article appears in Jul 1-31, 2011.