Chef Tucker Ricchio has made her solo debut at the restaurant Lira in CampbellCampbell/ / 28, 2025. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
TV celebrity chef Tucker Ricchio has departed from the popular, much acclaimed Campbell restaurant she launched earlier this year with two South Bay entrepreneurs
“Decided it was time that Lira and I part ways,” the homegrown star, a San Jose native, wrote on social media. “On to new adventures!”
Because of a non-disclosure agreement, the owners said Friday that they “can’t say much about the split.” The restaurant remains open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, with a chef de cuisine at the helm and new items on the menu.
Diners had been posting 5-star review after 5-star review since the swanky restaurant made its debut Jan. 31 with chef Tucker and her top-tier menu. This was the first solo restaurant effort for the winner of Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef” (Season 2); she previously had worked in Michelin-starred kitchens in San Francisco.
“Nothing short of EXQUISITE,” one diner posted on Yelp. “Food was amazing. Very attentive service,” another said. And “best experience I’ve had here in Campbell. Can’t compare!!”
Customers heaped praise on the chef’s signature dishes — Seared Scallops and Brown Butter Hummus, a dish that impressed the famously challenging Ramsay, and the rich, trendy Dubai Cheesecake,
Even just a month ago, one diner called Lira “a great restaurant that is just waiting for Michelin recognition.”
Then, sometime in the last few weeks, chef Tucker called it quits.
Since then, reviews have been mixed, with a few diners complaining that some dishes on the menu had sold out early or were not available to order.
“This past weekend, we had almost no shortages at all,” co-owners Zachary Smith and Faisal Gowani said in a statement. “In the future, we have set up our preparation system to address those shortages we experienced in the past.”
They have plans to introduce a cocktail hour from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday with drink specials and a new bar bites menu releasing soon.
Also, they said: “We have plans to bring back brunch. We had some success with it on our four-week dry run.”
In the meantime, dinner will be served starting at 5 p.m., until 9 on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 10 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Details: 368 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell; www.lirarestaurant.com
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Originally published at Linda Zavoral