One of Naples best chefs scores her own restaurant: What we know
Regular readers of NDN may suspect this reporter is obsessed with Kayla Pfeiffer.
I call it admiration.
This super-talented chef led three restaurant kitchens with concepts developed by others in Naples, most recently PJK Neighborhood Chinese.
But it was her earlier work as the opening executive chef at Campagna Hospitality’s Bar Tulia Mercato that made me a fan.
Under her direction, it was among the best meals I enjoyed in town in a very long time. Former JLB Annabelle Tometich agreed, calling it “an abundance of delights in every plate, sip and interaction.”
And now she’s getting a restaurant and concept to call her own. Bicyclette Cookshop, to be exact, where she is a partner and executive chef.
By the way, she’s 27.
Backing her: avid cyclists Patrick Wenning and Louis Mele, the gent who approached her about doing this and who owns Naples Cyclery and Fit and Fuel café.
The cafe on Vanderbilt Beach Road at Pavilion will close for renovation Sept. 1. She is also redesigning the kitchen to make it more efficient.
The new restaurant with a full bar is expected to open in mid-November.
Pfeiffer considers Mele a mentor; he “approached me to take over the spot and create something new for this area. We’ll be a full sit-down service spot throughout lunch and dinner that mimics things that I believe in.”
And what does she believe in? Passion for “quality ingredients and the education of what goes into every plate. For everything we do in the kitchen, the same standards must apply to the front of the house: understanding the ingredients, how everything is made and proper terms. It elevates the service to the next level.”
Not your usual grab-and-go for beachgoers is also planned.
“I love sandwiches. We'll brine turkeys and make our own cold cuts and cured meats in-house. It's a long process but worth it for the taste.”
Canning cocktails in-house is also planned.
Pfeiffer is working on her dinner menu, the focus of her new concept. The cuisine is New American, mixing small plates, shareables and entrees inspired by her international travels.
“They all tell a story in that sense. When I go out to eat, I like a variety of everything, so that's how this menu will be designed.”
That might include little oyster po'boy sliders and caviar “because I'm a big fan of that” with crispy gnocchi frito. Or fried taleggio-stuffed olives for a bar snack.
“I love doing crudos. Taking kombu and curing hamachi with sake onto the fish so it creates the ultimate umami where you don't need salt. With very few ingredients, the freshness of the fish will elevate that.”
Tuna crudo with grated tomato dressed with burrata whey vinaigrette may be another option.
New & affordable: Making breakfast the most important meal of the day in North Naples
Dinner might include braised veal short rib, a leaner meat, marinated with char siu sauce, then adding black garlic, “so there's a little bit of an Asian inspiration, but it comes full circle with black garlic that makes it a little zingy which I think Chinese or Asian barbecue misses.”
Much of her inspiration for Bicyclette Cookshop comes from her time in New York City, specifically working at Andrew Carmellini’s acclaimed The Dutch.
What she wants our readers to know?
“Different is overplayed. Anyone can say their concept is different. But here, it's something that you can feel the energy. There will be a sense of pride for everyone working here.”
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Chef spotlight: Kayla Pfeiffer's new restaurant concept coming soon
