Chef Scott Carsberg emailed to say that his absolutely delicious, abundantly lovely restaurant Bisato in Belltown—the successor to his longtime Lampreia, which opened in 1992 and was as haute as Seattle has ever gotten—is closing on October 14th.

Bisato has been a labor of love for Carsberg and [his wife and business partner Hyun Joo] Paek who essentially have worked every night the restaurant has been open. While this has enabled them to deliver a very high standard of service—and the meticulous cooking Chef Carsberg is known for—the intensity of this schedule for two decades straight has left them very little time to themselves. Carsberg and Paek plan to rest, travel and to spend time with family. They are also working on a book about their experiences. After a brief break Chef Carsberg will be exploring fresh restaurant and food concepts as well as fielding offers for new opportunities. “I’ll definitely be keeping my knives sharp,” says Carsberg. Over the next few weeks, prior to closing, Chef Carsberg’s menu will revisit some of his favorite dishes of both restaurants. “We’d like to thank our guests of the last 20 years,” says Paek. “We’ll hope to see them again soon.”

We will hope so, too. More information after the jump.

Bisato restaurant to close permanently on Sunday, October 14, 2012
Seattle, Washington, September 24, 2012 – After 20 years on the corner of First Avenue and Battery St. in Belltown – first with their iconic Northern Italian restaurant Lampreia and more recently with a focus on Venetian small plates at Bisato – Chef Scott Carsberg and his wife and business partner Hyun Joo Paek have decided to close their restaurant on Sunday, October 14th.

Bisato has been a labor of love for Carsberg and Paek who essentially have worked every night the restaurant has been open. While this has enabled them to deliver a very high standard of service – and the meticulous cooking Chef Carsberg is known for – the intensity of this schedule for two decades straight has left them very little time to themselves. Carsberg and Paek plan to rest, travel and to spend time with family. They are also working on a book about their experiences. After a brief break Chef Carsberg will be exploring fresh restaurant and food concepts as well as fielding offers for new opportunities. “I’ll definitely be keeping my knives sharp,” says Carsberg. Over the next few weeks, prior to closing, Chef Carsberg’s menu will revisit some of his favorite dishes of both restaurants. “We’d like to thank our guests of the last 20 years,” says Paek. “We’ll hope to see them again soon.”

In 1992, the couple were pioneers in Belltown, opening Lampreia in a raw space in what was then an emerging neighborhood. Cuisine in Seattle and in America changed significantly in that time and over the past two decades their restaurants attracted both regional and national press as being among Seattle’s most consistently innovative. They relaunched in the same Belltown space in 2010 as Bisato with the small plates concept which has been lauded by critics and diners alike for its value proposition of a high standard of cuisine, at a more accessible price point, in a less formal space.

A native of West Seattle, Carsberg trained under Yannick Cam at Le Pavillion (Washington, D.C.), Günther Seeger at the five-star Ritz-Carlton (Atlanta), Andreas Hellrigl at Palio (New York City) and then at the Michelin-starred Villa Mozart (Merano, Italy). Through his training in the best kitchens of the world, Carsberg found his own approach to cooking, marrying the rigor and restraint of French cuisine with Italian inspiration and attention to ingredients.

Chef Carsberg was a 2006 recipient of “Best Chef: Northwest” from the James Beard Foundation, a 2010 recipient of Mobil’s Four-Star Award, and in 2012 Birra Moretti’s Best Authentic Italian Restaurant in North America.
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