A favorite chef among local diners, Luis Lopez, on Monday returned to New Canaan to start his new job running the kitchen at Gates. Formerly of his popular ‘Chef Luis’ restaurant on Elm Street—which changed names and hands following his departure more than one year ago, and finally closed—Lopez said he is “thankful for the opportunity.:
“I feel like I never left. All my customers and friends came to see me when I went to Ridgefield,” Lopez said, referring to his most recent position. “New Canaan is my home.”
Asked how he felt about cheffing at Gates, Lopez said, “I am excited. I feel that we share the same philosophy of business and community service.”
It’s been nearly four years since Gates was sold to new owners, and about three since it re-opened.
Asked what made him want to bring Lopez to Gates, owner Jay Luther called him “a very talented chef whom I have worked with over the years.”
The team at Gates, including General Manager Sheila McGinnity and Bar Manager Rich Hewitt, have been “working on revamping the menu and service standards over the past six months to get the Gates offering back to where it was meant to be all along—a family friendly restaurant featuring moderately priced great food and an engaging tavern-bar scene. “
“The funny thing is that Luis was supposed to be the opening executive chef for Gates when we reopened in 2016,” Luther said.
