Fourth Light Oyster Bar & Kitchen will be open in Campbell until June 23. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
South Bay culinary titan Jim Stamp and his restaurant group are downsizing their portfolio and closing Fourth Light Oyster Bar & Kitchen at the end of the month, citing difficulties in hiring managers and chefs, the company announced Thursday.
Campbell Restaurants posted messages on its website and social media to thank customers and promised special menu items in the weeks leading up to the closure of Fourth Light, a sustainable seafood restaurant that has been in business since 2016.
“The rising cost of living, the pandemic and cultural changes are making people less willing to work in our industry,” co-owner Angelique Stamp said in an email, noting that ads seeking trained managers and experienced chefs are drawing few applicants at that level.
Stamps said it was difficult to provide high-quality food and service to all customers at the six restaurants under Hot Behind You Hospitality Management Group and that he would focus on his remaining five concepts.
Angelique Stamp said she will “reboot a bit” at The Table in San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood, reopening it seven days a week, and will focus on her larger restaurant, Sheppard & Sims, in Los Gatos.
The group also owns two small plates restaurants, LaMella Tavern in Willow Glen and The Vesper in Campbell, as well as Jim Stamps Tavern at San Jose Mineta International Airport.
June 23 will be Fourth Light's last day open. “Please come early to experience our unique atmosphere and delicious food one last time,” the announcement reads. “We have some fantastic special menus planned for the coming weeks and would love to share our final meal with you.”
In addition to oysters (both raw and butter-fried), Fourth Rite also serves halibut, crab, and octopus, and sells a variety of clam chowder, a recipe that Stamp said he learned while working at Outlook at the Pruneyard as a teenager and refined while working at Los Gatos Brewing Company, in a 2018 Bay Area News Group article about tasty chowders.
Stamps added in a note to customers, “We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every guest who has stepped foot in our restaurant. Your laughter, conversations and love of our food are what make Fourth Light a truly special place. Whether you were a regular at the bar enjoying happy hour oysters or celebrating a milestone with a seafood meal, we cherish being a part of your memories.”
Details: Open Wednesday through Thursday from 4 to 8:30 p.m., Friday from 4 to 9:30 p.m., Saturday from 2 to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m. Address: 1700 W. Campbell Ave., Campbell; www.eatoystersatforthright.com
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