An investigation of this summer’s fire by the Santa Clara County Fire Department has concluded that it was accidental. A spokeswoman for the department said Thursday that the fire began when some dish towels, soaked with sunflower seed oil, were left outside the building. After the fire, Mr. Kinch said, even parts of the restaurant that appeared unaffected had to be replaced to get rid of the stubborn smell of smoke. Over the summer, many on the staff worked in other fine-dining restaurants in the Bay Area, and almost all will return to their jobs in September, Mr. Kinch said. Mr. Kinch spent August developing new dishes at his home kitchen in Santa Cruz.

Source: New York Times August 31, 2018 14:48 UTC