Surprise! Chef Gavin Kaysen Changed the Name of His Restaurant

Chef Gavin Kaysen has changed the name of his forthcoming Minneapolis restaurant from Merchant to Spoon and Stable. In a video on the restaurant's website, Kaysen explains the decision to change names a month before the restaurant is slated to open: While it was under construction, the chef noticed that there were a lot of other restaurants called Merchant. So he called up his advisors and asked, "What do you think if we change the name? Will it affect us?" To which he a received a "resounding ‘No.'"

Kaysen then looked at the space of his upcoming restaurant for inspiration: The building was once a horse stable when it was built back in 1906. Coupled with his now famous tendency to steal spoons — which will also factor into the decor of the restaurant — Kaysen came up with Spoon and Stable. Plus, he adds, spoons are the "one tool" he can't live without. Spoon and Stable is slated to open next month.