Chef opts to ‘walk away’ from his Nick’s Next Door
Popular restaurant’s closing prompted by COVID-19 uncertainty
One of Los Gatos’ most popular restaurants, Nick’s Next Door, is closing permanently because of the business uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic.
Grateful customers, employees and industry colleagues have been flooding chef-owner Nick Difu’s Facebook page with thanks and comments since he broke the news.
“Class doesn’t begin to describe you well enough,” Dan Huddleston posted.
“You built this insanely successful business around love, and that really was the secret ingredient. You have taught me so much not just about business but about life,” wrote Kimberly Perrin. “Nick’s Next Door — you, our staff, our guests — will always have a large piece of my heart. We are family.”
From another local venue came this from Benjamin Musolf: “All of us at Campo di Bocce of Los Gatos wish you the best. You were certainly the best food not only in Los Gatos, but probably the entire Silicon Valley. Good luck my friend. You did wonders for our town.”
Difu said in his note that he had come to the decision after much soul-searching.
“Over the last two months, I have spent a lot of time with my daughter and wife (the most I have ever spent with them since owning the restaurants) and during this time I have also been thinking about my future and what the restaurant business will look like post COVID-19. After a lot of careful consideration, and partly because of the uncertainty of the restaurant world, I have sadly decided to walk away from the restaurant.
“This was never my intention but because we are in unprecedented times, I have been forced to make this difficult decision to close. I hope everybody understands.”
Difu went on to thank his customers and the Los Gatos business community.
“I have been working here for over 20 years and since the day I graduated from culinary school, I knew this was where I wanted to open my restaurant. My dream and hard work came true 13 years ago. Though
it’s a short run compared to some of the legends in town … I feel I’m making the right choice for myself and my family. The love and support you have shown me will not be forgotten. I would never have wanted to fulfill my dream anywhere else.”
In parting, he said: “Thank you so much to all my employees. I could not have done it without you.”
A Saratoga native, Difu attended the California Culinary Academy in San
Francisco. He cooked at Roy’s at Pebble Beach and in Scottsdale, Arizona, before returning to the South Bay.
“My idea from the beginning was to open my own restaurant, and this is where I wanted to do it. So now it was time for me to cook, get to know the people, do some PR and really start honing all my skill and getting to know the community,” he said in a 2009 interview with the Bay Area News Group.
After a stint helping to open Joey Altman’s Menlo Park restaurant, Wild Hare, he found himself back in Los Gatos in 2000 at the now-closed Cafe Marcella, where he got his first shot at being a head chef. That led to stints at the Wine Cellar and 180 restaurant — and his first solo place, Nick’s on Main.
In 2019, his Nick’s Next Door scored a spot on the Mercury News’ inaugural list of the Bay Area’s Best 50 Restaurants.
Difu himself always has been part of the experience, his fans say. “Devoted customers rave about the welcoming atmosphere — Nick is always there, cooking, greeting, making the rounds,” the ranking said.