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// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Chez TJ a restaurant? Does it have a TJ-rific menu?

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chez TJ
Chez TJ in 2014
Map
Interactive map of Chez TJ
Restaurant information
EstablishedNovember 1982
ClosedApril 11, 2026 (2026-04-11)
OwnerGeorge Aviet
Previous owners
Tom McCombie and George Aviet
Head chefMo Bejar
Food typemodern French
Location938 Villa Street, Mountain View, California, United States
Coordinates37°23′41″N 122°04′49″W / 37.3947°N 122.0804°W / 37.3947; -122.0804
Seating capacity
40 plus patio
Websitewww.cheztj.com

Chez TJ was a French restaurant in Mountain View, California, United States. Opened in 1982 and closed in 2026, it was located in a historic house and until 2025 had a Michelin star; from 2007 to 2009, it had two stars.

History

[edit]

Tom McCombie and George Aviet opened Chez TJ in November 1982 in a Victorian house in downtown Mountain View that had been a bed and breakfast, naming it for McCombie's initials. It was the first fine dining restaurant in the city.[1][2][3][4][5] The founders met while working at Pear Williams restaurant in Menlo Park, sold McCombie's house for the capital to start the restaurant, and lived with their families in the building until it became successful enough to fill the entire space.[1][3][5]

McCombie, the original chef, died in 1994 and Aviet became sole owner, living in a cottage behind the restaurant.[3][4] Subsequent executive chefs included Peggy Aoki,[6] in the second half of the 1990s Andrew Trice,[7] and from 1999 Kirk Bruderer.[1] Joshua Skenes, later executive chef at Saison, succeeded Bruderer, followed in early 2006 by Christopher Kostow,[8] under whom Chez TJ earned its first Michelin star that year and a second star in 2007. Kostow left in early 2008 for The Restaurant at Meadowood,[3][9] accompanied by many of the cooks.[10] Under his successor Bruno Chemel, the restaurant lost its second Michelin star in 2009, leading to a falling out with Aviet;[11] Chemel also left with a large part of the kitchen staff, opening Baumé.[3] He was succeeded in early 2010 by Scott Nishiyama,[12][13][14] followed in 2012 by Joey Elenterio[5][15] and then by Jarad Gallagher, who had been chef at Plumed Horse.[3][4][16][17]

After the COVID-19 closure, Chez TJ reopened in September 2020 after extensive renovations that included improved ventilation in the dining rooms and an added outdoor seating area with an automatic retractable rain awning, and with the option of à la carte dining. Gallagher left and was succeeded by Christopher Lemerand prior to the reopening.[18][19][20] In 2022, the restaurant acquired a full liquor license and added a bar.[18] Stan Michalski became the executive chef in 2024.[21][22][23] As of March 2026, Mo Bejar was executive chef.[24]

Aviet closed Chez TJ on April 11, 2026,[25][26] citing financial and health problems.[27]

Restaurant

[edit]

Chez TJ offered prix fixe dinners with optional wine pairings, in its first two decades ranging from a four-course menu petite through a five-course menu moderne to a seven-course menu gastronomique;[1][28] by 2008 an eight-course tasting menu[29] was the alternative to a four-course menu gastronomique.[30] The cuisine was modern French.[31]

The restaurant occupied a house in downtown Mountain View that was the home of Julius Weilheimer, an early 20th-century mayor and postmaster.[32] It seated approximately 40, in four dining rooms.[3] There was a herb and vegetable garden on the property.[33]

In 2017, Aviet and the owner of the adjacent Tied House brewpub unsuccessfully applied to the City of Mountain View for permission to redevelop both sites with a four-storey office tower that would house Chez TJ within it.[34][35] Aviet offered to relocate the house. In response to an effort by preservationists to prevent redevelopment, the two buildings were added to the California Register of Historic Resources in 2019.[18][32] Aviet later said that the designation had prevented him from selling the property to a developer for sufficient money to fund his retirement.[18][35][36]

Reception

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Under chef Christopher Kostow, Chez TJ was awarded a Michelin star in 2006, the first year the Michelin Guide expanded the awards to California,[3][37] and a second star in 2007.[2][38][39][40] In December 2007, Food & Wine named the maitake mushroom consommé one of the top ten in its Best Restaurant Dishes of 2007.[2] The second Michelin star was withdrawn in 2009;[11] the restaurant retained the single star until 2025.[23][41][42]

The Michelin Guide characterized the restaurant as "offer[ing] a certain old-school sophistication" and having a wine list that is "nothing short of legendary."[31] Local restaurant reviewers emphasized its excellence.[1][28] The long-time food critic of the San Francisco Chronicle, Michael Bauer, faulted the decor and maintenance of the house and the wine selections in both 2007 and 2010 reviews, but praised both Kostow's and Nishiyama's cooking highly.[29][43] In 2008 he raised his rating to three stars after the arrival of Chemel,[44] and in 2014 he wrote that "few restaurants have contributed as much to the entire Bay Area dining scene as Chez TJ."[17] In San Jose media, the reviewer for Metro Silicon Valley judged Chez TJ to have gone from "sleepy" to "a sensation" under Kostow, and Chemel to have "a good shot" at retaining the second star, but that his first and second courses outshone the third;[30] reviewers for The Mercury News characterized Chemel as replacing Kostow's "drama and virtuosity" with "quiet elegance and sophistication"[10] and later praised Nishiyama for "an incredible command of flavor and composition".[13]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Rich, Robert (November 29, 2002). "After 20 years, Chez TJ still stands out". Mountain View Voice. Archived from the original on September 29, 2005. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Himmel, Sheila (December 21, 2007). "The stars are aligned for Chez TJ". Mountain View Voice. Archived from the original on March 9, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bentson, Dale (January 9, 2014). "The star incubator". Mountain View Voice. Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Kadvany, Elena (July 9, 2025) [June 23, 2016]. "A passion for the finer things". Palo Alto Online. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Holbrook, Stett (February 29, 2012). "Silicon Valley's Michelin Star Machine". Metro Silicon Valley. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  6. ↑ "A passion for the palate". Palo Alto Online. October 4, 1996. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  7. ↑ Davis, Robin (February 6, 1998). "Dining Updates: Eclectic Elegance in Mountain View / Chez TJ's food now more focused". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  8. ↑ Berne, Amanda (February 8, 2006). "Inside Scoop: Jossel to open 'urban rustic' NoPa". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Chez TJ chef heading north to Meadowood". San Francisco Chronicle. January 2, 2008. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Watson, Aleta (May 13, 2008). "You be the reviewer: Chez TJ in Mountain View". The Mercury News. San Jose. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  11. 1 2 Greene, Jessica (December 4, 2009). "Food Fight: Chef Scraps Star-Hungry Chez TJ". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  12. ↑ Finz, Stacy (January 14, 2010). "Michelin-starred Chez TJ gets SF chef". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  13. 1 2 Graue, Jennifer (August 13, 2016) [March 18, 2010]. "Review: At Chez TJ, the food and service are truly extraordinary". The Mercury News. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  14. ↑ Kadvany, Elena (January 10, 2020). "French Laundry, Chez TJ alum to give new life to Prolific Oven space in Palo Alto". Mountain View Voice (Peninsula Foodist blog). Archived from the original on December 4, 2023.
  15. ↑ Hu, Janny (March 7, 2013). "Rising Star chef Joey Elenterio, Chez TJ". San Francisco Chronicle.
  16. ↑ Gemmet, Andrea (December 7, 2012). "New chef embraces the old at Chez Tj". Mountain View Voice. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Jung, Carolyn (September 27, 2022). "As Michelin-starred Chez TJ Turns 40, Its Owner Reflects on the Highs and Lows". Nob Hill Gazette. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  18. ↑ Kadvany, Elena (September 3, 2020). "Chez TJ reopens in Mountain View with new chef, patio and menus". Mountain View Voice (Peninsula Foodist blog). Archived from the original on March 25, 2023.
  19. ↑ Zavoral, Linda (September 4, 2020) [September 2, 2020]. "Mountain View's Michelin-starred Chez TJ announces new chef". The Mercury News.
  20. ↑ Zavoral, Linda (February 27, 2024). "Mountain View's Michelin-starred Chez TJ has a new chef". The Mercury News. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
  21. ↑ Mitchel, Adrienne (February 29, 2024) [February 28, 2-24]. "Meet the new executive chef at Michelin-starred Chez TJ in Mountain View". Palo Alto Online. Archived from the original on June 27, 2025. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  22. 1 2 Yadegaran, Jessica (June 26, 2025). "'Heartbroken': Bay Area restaurant stripped of Michelin star after 19 years". SFGate. Archived from the original on July 25, 2025. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Our Team". Chez TJ. Archived from the original on January 24, 2026. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  24. ↑ Vaziri, Aidin (April 16, 2026). "A Bay Area fine-dining landmark closes after 43 years". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  25. ↑ Zavoral, Linda (April 20, 2026) [April 16, 2026]. "Chez TJ, longtime Michelin-starred restaurant, is closing its doors". The Mercury News. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  26. ↑ Margaretten, Emily (April 16, 2026). "Chez TJ closes after 40+ years serving Mountain View". Mountain View Voice. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  27. 1 2 Harrington, Jim; Reiley, Laura (August 20, 1999). "Restaurant Review: A different kind of neighborhood restaurant". Palo Alto Online. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  28. 1 2 Bauer, Michael (July 1, 2010). "Another talented chef stars at Chez TJ". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  29. 1 2 "Seeing Stars". Metro Silicon Valley. May 7, 2008. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  30. 1 2 "Chez TJ – Mountain View". Michelin Guide. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  31. 1 2 Noack, Mark (August 12, 2019). "Chez TJ, Tied House granted historic status". Mountain View Voice. Archived from the original on August 25, 2019.
  32. ↑ DeBolt, Daniel (July 8, 2025) [June 8, 2012]. "Chez TJ: office would tower over gourmet restaurant". Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  33. ↑ Noack, Mark (October 17, 2018). "Tied House won't close anytime soon". Mountain View Voice.
  34. 1 2 Margaretten, Emily (July 8, 2025) [October 30, 2023]. "After more than 40 years, Chez TJ owner wants to call it quits but can't because of financial worries". Mountain View Voice. Archived from the original on December 11, 2025.
  35. ↑ Guerrero, Susana (November 7, 2023). "Bay Area city won't let owner of Michelin-starred restaurant retire". SFGate. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  36. ↑ Ness, Carol (October 2, 2006). "Only French Laundry earns Michelin's 3 stars". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  37. ↑ DeBolt, Daniel (October 30, 2007). "Michelin Guide grants Chez TJ two stars". Mountain View Voice. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  38. ↑ Jung, Carolyn (October 22, 2007). "Michelin guide gives Mountain View's Chez TJ a second star". The Mercury News. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  39. ↑ Hallock, Betty (October 24, 2007). "Michelin stars span Bay Area". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  40. ↑ Mitchel, Adrienne (June 26, 2025). "At the California Michelin Awards, a Mountain View restaurant loses its star and Midpeninsula spots make their Michelin Guide debut". Mountain View Voice. Archived from the original on June 27, 2025.
  41. ↑ Kadvany, Elena (June 25, 2025). "Michelin stars: Two new restaurants win in the Bay Area". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  42. ↑ Bauer, Michael (July 4, 2007). "Food outclasses service, decor at Chez TJ". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  43. ↑ Bauer, Michael (May 28, 2008). "Dining Update: New chef brings Asian touches to Chez TJ". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
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