Fire forces Beverly Hills pasta palace Funke to close
According to a representative for the City of Beverly Hills, the small fire was contained primarily within the ventilation duct system, and the restaurant sustained minimal damage. In an email statement to The Times, Funke said that the cause of the fire is unknown. The Beverly Hills Fire Department confirmed that the source of the fire is under investigation.
Guests and staff evacuated the building, and no one was hurt.
Funke is currently ranked 25th on the L.A. Times 101 list of best restaruants. It opened in May 2023, the third project from the celebrity chef who also operates Mother Wolf in Hollywood and Felix Trattoria in Venice. The restaurant is a partnership with real estate investor Kurt Rappaport, and quickly garnered local and national praise for its hyper-regional focus. On its menu, each pasta dish details the region in Italy where Funke first tried it, and the name of the woman who taught him how to make it.
At the center of the restaurant, a glass room allows for guests to view fresh pastas being made by hand, while a semi-open kitchen provides a view into Funke's pizzas, grilled meats, signature fried squash blossoms and beyond. Funke also turned heads with its pastry and bread program headed by Shannon Swindle.
'This sfincione, which means sponge, is the closest I've come to the best pizza I've ever tasted,' L.A. Times Food columnist Jenn Harris wrote of the tomato-topped focaccia.
According to Funke, guests with reservations already on the books for this week will be contacted by members of his team, who will offer alternative reservations at his other local restaurants.
'We're relieved to share that all building safety systems functioned exactly as designed,' Funke wrote in his statement. 'Thanks to the calm cooperation of everyone present, our staff and guests were evacuated swiftly and safely. Our deepest gratitude to the Beverly Hills Fire Department for their rapid response and expert handling of the situation. … We're truly grateful for your patience and understanding as we work diligently to repair and restore the affected areas. We can't wait to host you all very soon. All love and pasta.'
According to a representative for the Beverly Hills Fire Department, firefighters received the alarm at 6:31 p.m., arrived on the scene one minute later and remained until 10:30 p.m., ensuring the fire was thoroughly extinguished.
Funke could not be reached for further comment, and a representative for Funke declined to share a projected reopening date.
Funke is located at 9388 S. Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills.
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