Douglas Keane originally opened Cyrus in Healdsburg, California, earning two Michelin stars and many accolades. But during the pandemic, a burned-out Keene did not want to reopen it as a traditional fine dining restaurant with an upscale tasting menu. So he sat down and figured out how to change the business model and staffing model to provide a living wage for all his team members and a distinctive dining experience for guests.

At the new Cyrus, located in the Sonoma County town of Geyserville, the evening is choreographed like a dinner party in someone’s home, starting with drinks and bites in the Bubble Lounge, then proceeding into the kitchen where guests interact with the chefs over a first course, followed by a multi-course hyper-seasonal tasting menu in the dining room and ending with a sweet finish in the Chocolate Room. And every team member makes an annual salary of $75,000.