Celebrity chef’s former restaurant catches fire in California

A Moorpark restaurant space once used by a cheftestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef” caught fire Thursday, prompting a response from the Ventura County Fire Department.

The former home of Cafe Firenze on 563 Los Angeles Ave. was ablaze midday Thursday, though the fire was put out by 12:45 p.m., the VCFD said on X, formerly Twitter.

Until early 2020, Cafe Firenze drew eager local diners and fans of Fabio Viviani, who won the “Top Chef Fan Favorite” award in the fifth season of the culinary competition show with one-liners like “This is ‘Top Chef,’ It’s not ‘Top Scallop.'”

The restaurant closed pre-pandemic because Viviani and colleagues were unable to negotiate a new lease with the property landlord, according to a report in the Moorpark Acorn.

Despite the closure more than four years ago, the Cafe Firenze sign still hangs above the space, which was full of VCFD personnel during and after the blaze.

Though fire damage was limited, water from the sprinklers made the space a total loss, according to stringer service OnScene TV.

Nearby businesses also had to be evacuated “as a precaution,” the VCFD said. OnScene TV identified them as a Baskin-Robbins and Dollar Tree store.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. No injuries were reported.

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