“Chef Christian Irabién’s Amparo to not open at the La Cosecha market”

1270 4th Street, NE photo by Daniel Swartz

From an email:

“We have pulled out of the La Cosecha market and continue to look for a home for Amparo. We are working on some exciting projects that we will announce as soon, while continuing to push forward.

Amparo owner and Chef Christian Irabién’s modern Mexican restaurant Amparo Fondita will no longer be a part of La Cosecha. Irabién, whose resume includes Oyamel vows to continue searching for the right brick-and-mortar location.”

Full press release:

“This winter, chef Christian Irabién from Amparo Fondita keeps pushing forward by offering his upscale modern Mexican experience through pop ups, catering and special events, while continuing to look for a working brick-and-mortar space for this concept.

“Amparo continues on a very exciting path being supported by our growing and loyal fan base who brings our experience in to their homes and work spaces in the form of catered private events and in-house pop ups”

“Opening a new restaurant in the current DC market already faces an incredible and unique set of challenges for those pursuing this as a small business venture. Doing so as an immigrant simply adds to the challenges.”

“Amparo was always–and will continue to be–an ambitious undertaking in what is an increasingly challenging restaurant market. Additionally, as one of many in DC’s immigrant community, we face unique obstacles in trying to open our own ventures. Many of us do not have access to traditional funding vehicles and rather than being able to raise money through a “friends-and-family” round, we are in fact sending money home.” he continues “We are still actively meeting and vetting like-minded investors who share our same passion, vision and values, it’s an incredible journey. Like our food, we want the restaurant itself to push back against the ideas most-often associated with immigrant-run restaurants: “hole-in-the-wall” and “off the beaten path”.