David Chang's Momofuku Nishi Won't Reopen, Company Says

CHELSEA, NY — Celebrity chef David Chang won't reopen his Chelsea restaurant Momofuku Nishi due to the economic toll of the new coronavirus outbreak, the chef's company announced this week.

The restaurant, located on Eighth Avenue between 21st and 22nd streets, is one of two closings announced by the Momofuku restaurant group Wednesday. Momofuku CCDC in Washington D.C. will also close. In addition to the two closings, the East Village's Momofuku Ssäm Bar will be merged with Momofuku Bar Wayo at its the South Street Seaport location.

"As we navigate this crisis, safety is our guiding principle. When we looked at the investments needed to make our restaurants the safest places to dine and work—new systems and personal protective equipment for our teams—it became clear that not all our restaurants would be able to bear those costs," reads a post on the Momofuku restaurant group's Instagram page.

Chang's company has established a fund, called the Momofuku Bluetape Fund, to support workers affected by restaurant closures, layoffs and consolidations. The restaurant group will cover COBRA insurance costs, according to its Instagram post.

Momofuku Nishi opened in January 2016. The restaurant offered Italian-influenced cuisine, a homemade pasta tasting menu and a la carte pasta, meat and fish dishes, according to its website.

Chang's restaurant empire was founded in New York City with opening of Momofuku Noodle Bar in 2004. The Momofuku group has since expanded to dozens of restaurants in cities such as Los Angeles, Sydney, Australia and Toronto, Canada. Momofuku Ko's Sean Gray is a finalist for this year's James Beard award for New York City's best chef.

New York City's restaurants have been forced to operate on a takeout and delivery only basis since March 16 due to social distancing regulations enacted to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. The City Council passed a package of bills Wednesday designed to help restaurants by capping third-party delivery fees and preventing landlords from going after personal assets of owners forced to close their businesses because of the coronavirus.