OTTAWA — Award-winning chef-owner René Rodriguez has closed Navarra — the celebrated Murray Street restaurant that has served upscale Spanish and Mexican-influenced dishes since 2008.
“I made the decision to close Navarra for several reasons, including high costs and a tough climate for many small restaurants, as well as a need for change,” says Rodriguez, who gained national recognition in 2014 by winning Top Chef Canada. In a statement last week he said “In the short term, I will be focusing on rebuilding my true devotion to my craft by reconnecting with food and taking some time to really understand my path as a chef. I intend to be cooking again very soon in this city.”
The closure of Navarra comes on the heels of the shuttering of two other top-level Ottawa restaurants — Murray Street Kitchen and Taylor’s Genuine Food and Wine Bar in Old Ottawa South.
