JACKSON, Wyo. — The day so many have been waiting for is now just around the corner:
Café Genevieve is back and better than ever. The popular brunch spot is opening its doors Saturday, March 7 at 7 a.m.
Café G closed in early July after a fire devastated the kitchen. But luck or something like it kept the flames contained to the back part of the building — the new part. The historic cabin was untouched aside from some smoke damage.
“The cabin itself held up really well,” said restaurant owner Fred Peightal.
If there’s a silver lining to such devastation, Peightal and his team have found it. The months following the fire have been hard, but as pinecones save their seeds for wildfire so new forests can grow, Café Genevieve has come to see the fire as a chance to be reborn.
“It gave us a fresh start,” Peightal said.
Indeed, Café Genevieve seized the opportunity to make some necessary and overdue improvements, Peightal said. The kitchen was totally destroyed in the fire, and they had to completely strip it down to the studs. But from there, they could rewire, replumb, and rebuild. The kitchen is bigger now. So is the outside deck, which means more seating in the summertime.
“Basically the whole building is kind of redone,” Peightal said.
The dining room got a makeover, too. Structurally and aesthetically, it’s still the historic cabin patrons have come to know and love. It’s just a little more modern.
“Genevieve would be proud,” Peightal said, referencing the town councilor Genevieve Van Vleck after whom the restaurant is named.
Rebuilding Café Genevieve was a team effort. Peightal hired Two Oceans Builders as the local contractors, but all of Café G’s managers put their fair share of sweat and tears into the renovation.
“From the floors to the paint — anything that didn’t require a professional, we were doing.”
Café G’s menu will look comfortingly familiar. They’re keeping all of their brunch classics with “upgraded,” local ingredients.
For now, Café Genevieve will only open for brunch. They want to make sure they have their feet under them again before they begin dinner service. Peightal said they’re holding out for a “grand re-opening” in May, which will also serve as a 10-year anniversary celebration. There will be a few pop-up dinners between now and then, so stay tuned.
The question of how the fire started might forever go unanswered. A bag of kitchen rags ignited outside of the building and quickly spread into the kitchen, but how they ignited no one knows.
“The verdict was there was no verdict,” Peightal said.
What Peightal does know with certainty is how strong that cabin is. It’s survived two fires now — the first was decades ago — and is still standing strong.
He also knows he’s ready to open the doors. The kitchen is fired up and the staff is eager.
“I’m just excited to get our crew back together,” Peightal said.
Doors open at 7 a.m. Saturday. Happy brunching.
