World-renowned chef Thomas Keller, owner of the three-Michelin-starred French Laundry, is spearheading a campaign against a proposed affordable housing development in Yountville, California. The project, known as Yountville Commons, would build 120 apartment units aimed at local workers in the wealthy Napa Valley enclave.
At a recent town council meeting, Keller criticised officials for a lack of consultation with major employers. “No one ever came to me and said, ‘What do you think about this project?’” he told the council. The chef, dressed in his white culinary jacket, urged the council to engage with the business community.
The development seeks to address a chronic housing shortage in Yountville, where the median home value has reached $1.3 million. Approximately 3,100 workers commute into the town daily, many earning a median salary of $51,000. Town manager Brad Raulston defended the 300-square-foot studio apartments as affordable at roughly $1,500 a month, but critics have described them as inadequate.
Real-estate investor Gary Jabara called the unit mix “obviously wrong,” saying, “Nobody wants to live in a cage.” Supporters, however, suggest the opposition is rooted in elitism. Councilwoman Robin McKee noted a “fear of riffraff” regarding vineyard workers moving into the town centre. Ryan O’Connell of Yimby Action directly addressed Keller in an Instagram post, urging him not to obstruct the housing.
The tension comes as Keller’s business group faces a lawsuit alleging labour code violations, including failure to pay overtime and provide proper breaks. The Thomas Keller Restaurant Group has denied the claims. Meanwhile, Keller and other business owners have gathered enough signatures for a referendum, pausing the project until a vote in November.
