![\"Michel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sut-l-dudleys-sale-07.jpg\")
Michel Mal\u00e9cot sorts loaves of bread at Dudley\u2019s Bakery in Santa Ysabel, which he recently purchased with business partner Michael Brewer. (Kaliana Caldwell)<\/p>\nThe latest batch of business openings in and near La Jolla spans from Torrey Pines Science Park to Westfield UTC to The Village.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a wrap-up of area business news.<\/p>\n
The French Gourmet owner\u2019s next venture<\/p>\n
Michel Mal\u00e9cot, who sold his north Pacific Beach restaurant, The French Gourmet, to a developer that is now proposing a controversial residential-commercial high-rise, is on to his next culinary venture months after the restaurant\u2019s closure.<\/p>\n
Mal\u00e9cot, who owned The French Gourmet for more than 45 years, now will serve as landlord and co-owner of Dudley\u2019s Bakery in Santa Ysabel, an attraction for people traveling to Julian. His partner is Michael Brewer, who owns the 70-year-old Sire Bar and Grill in Riverside and Alcoholic Beverage Consulting Service in Temecula.<\/p>\n
Michel Mal\u00e9cot sorts loaves of bread at Dudley\u2019s Bakery in Santa Ysabel, which he recently purchased with business partner Michael Brewer. (Kaliana Caldwell)<\/p>\n
Mal\u00e9cot announced in December that he would close the restaurant side of The French Gourmet\u00a0 and had sold the property on Turquoise Street. He still rents the bakery space on a month-to-month basis and maintains a staff of bakers there to serve wholesale clients, takeout orders and occasional catering jobs.<\/p>\n
Malec\u00f3t, who is in his 70s, said he hadn\u2019t been looking to sell the business, but when he was approached a few years ago by developer Kalonymus LLC to buy the property and an adjoining parcel he owned, the deal was too good to pass up, he said.<\/p>\n
The amount offered covered both the value of the property and the cost to purchase the business, he said. Malec\u00f3t didn\u2019t reveal the price, but according to the San Diego County recorder\u2019s office, his two parcels sold for $7 million.<\/p>\n
Malec\u00f3t told the La Jolla Light in February 2025 that the sale negotiations took place in March 2023 as he eyed retirement. He said last week that his involvement in Dudley\u2019s Bakery is a \u201csemi-retirement\u201d for him, as he\u2019ll focus on offering his expertise to the staff and managing Dudley\u2019s on a part-time basis.<\/p>\n
Malec\u00f3t said earlier that he was aware Kalonymus had a housing project in mind when it made the deal for The French Gourmet, but he assumed it would be moderately sized and that he had no idea the plan was for a 239-foot-tall building with 214 residential units and ground-floor shops that has drawn the ire<\/a> of the surrounding community.<\/p>\n After he gave his customers notice of the sale, the last 10 months in operation were \u201cdreadful as far as business,\u201d Malec\u00f3t said. \u201cI should have said \u2018Forget it\u2019 and close it as planned and I would have saved myself hundreds of thousands of dollars. Everybody stayed on payroll. So because of the lack of revenue and the fact [that] people are not happy with what\u2019s going to happen to the building, we suffered a drastic cutback in business.\u201d<\/p>\n Playa Kitchen<\/p>\n Torrey Pines Science Park, a 25-acre lab and office campus overlooking Torrey Pines Golf Course, recently welcomed a new coastal-inspired cafe.<\/p>\n Clique Hospitality\u2019s Playa Kitchen officially opened March 18 at 11011 N. Torrey Pines Road. The cafe offers breakfast and lunch menus along with fresh juices, smoothies and craft coffee.<\/p>\n The restaurant spans 3,700 square feet and includes a 40-seat dining room, 17-seat bar lounge and 1,100-square-foot patio accommodating up to 28 people.<\/p>\n \u201cPlaya was created to reflect the way people work and connect today,\u201d Andy Masi, founder of Clique Hospitality, said in a statement. \u201cMore than just a place to dine, it\u2019s an elevated, design-forward cafe that feels both productive and restorative. It\u2019s a space where you can move seamlessly from morning coffee to a working lunch to an afternoon reset, all while feeling grounded in the coastal environment.\u201d<\/p>\n Highlights from the breakfast menu include a Think Tank Bowl with red potato hash, egg whites, caramelized onions, cherry tomatoes, roasted mushrooms, avocado, spinach and feta. Lunch items include a roasted herb-marinated chicken salad, a tuna poke bowl and an On the Grind Burger with sharp cheddar and roasted garlic aioli.<\/p>\n Playa Kitchen is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Learn more and see the full menu at playakitchensd.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n World Tribe Cashmere<\/p>\n One of the newest additions to La Jolla\u2019s Village is a product of a mother-daughter collaboration.<\/p>\n Alicia Lozada and her daughter Daniella built World Tribe Cashmere, located at 7723 Fay Ave., on what they describe as \u201ca holistic approach\u201d to offering clothing and accessories from makers around the world, ranging from sustainable farming to combing, dehairing and spinning.<\/p>\n Alicia Lozada described opening the flagship store as a dream becoming reality.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve created an intimate, elegant space where art meets fashion and becomes a lifestyle,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat began as giving meaningful gifts to others has grown into a global tribe whose members span the world.\u201d<\/p>\n The store held a soft opening March 27 and hopes to have a full opening in April.<\/p>\n For more information, visit world-tribe.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Joey at Westfield UTC<\/p>\n Joey Restaurants\u2019 first San Diego location and 36th overall will open soon at Westfield UTC mall.<\/p>\n Joey offers a \u201chandcrafted, locally and globally inspired menu\u201d for lunch, happy hour, dinner and late-night bites. The company opened its first location in 1992 and expects to continue expanding into 2030.<\/p>\n The Westfield UTC restaurant will officially open Thursday, April 23, following a limited release of reservation times Saturday through Wednesday, April 18-22.<\/p>\n It will include a bar and lounge in the front, a dedicated DJ booth for select nights and special events, a wine wall, a raised dining space around a large olive tree and a rear dining space. The restaurant spans 10,600 square feet overall.<\/p>\n On the culinary side, Joey offers steaks, fire-torched sushi, fresh seafood, shareable plates and more. Signature dishes include bone-in ribeye and tomahawk steaks paired with crispy mashed potatoes. Newer dishes include truffle udon carbonara.<\/p>\n \u201cExpanding into San Diego is a significant milestone for our brand and represents an exciting step in our growth strategy,\u201d company President Layne Krienke said in a statement. \u201cLa Jolla\u2019s coastal energy, world-class shopping and strong culinary culture make it a natural fit.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Playa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/LJL-L-BIZ-ROUNDUP-APRIL-01.jpg\")
Playa Kitchen\u2019s menu includes the Think Tank Bowl, priced at $17. (Clique Hospitality)<\/p>\n![\"World](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/LJL-L-BIZ-ROUNDUP-APRIL-02.jpg\")
World Tribe Cashmere held a soft opening March 27 at 7723 Fay Ave. in La Jolla. (Provided by Alicia Lozada)<\/p>\n
![\"Members](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/LJL-L-BIZ-ROUNDUP-APRIL-01_eeb07f.jpg\")
Members of the La Jolla Town Council and La Jolla Village Merchants Association join Roppongi General Manager Humberto Ramirez, team member Jo Mollenhauer, President and Chief Financial Officer Amy Bulgatz and executive chef Alfie Szeprethy at a March 25 ribbon-cutting to celebrate the restaurant\u2019s recent reopening. (Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge)<\/p>\n