Celebrity Chef José Andrés Granted Gas Ban Exemption for Restaurant

The City of Palo Alto will exempt celebrity chef José Andrés' new restaurant, Zaytinya, from its gas ban in new buildings after Andrés threatened legal action. The restaurant is expected to be installed in the Stanford Mall. The city said the exemption was a one-off situation and that building electrification was critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Attorneys for the property group that owns the mall had warned that Andrés could abandon plans for the restaurant if his staff were made to work without gas stoves.