TL;DR
Get coffee and tea gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
VinePair’s The Buildout podcast features restaurateur Cody Pruitt discussing his decision to close Libertine and create Capitaine in its place. Pruitt talks about lessons from Libertine and his aim to build a restaurant that regulars would find easier to revisit.
VinePair’s The Buildout podcast has published an episode with restaurateur Cody Pruitt about closing Libertine and turning the New York restaurant space into Capitaine. Pruitt discusses what he learned from Libertine and why he wanted the replacement concept to be easier for regulars to return to.
According to VinePair’s episode description, Libertine drew immediate acclaim after Pruitt opened it, becoming one of New York’s hardest reservations. Its saucisse-purée became a fan favorite. The description says the restaurant’s initial momentum had eased by about three years later, when filling the dining room every night was no longer as easy as it had been.
Pruitt then made the decision to close Libertine and transform the space into Capitaine. The episode centers on that decision and the lessons he took from Libertine’s successes and shortcomings. VinePair describes the new concept as an attempt to create a restaurant that would be more practical for repeat visits, rather than relying on the initial excitement that made Libertine a sought-after reservation.
In the episode, Pruitt speaks with Adam Teeter, identified by VinePair as the show’s host. The program is available through VinePair’s website and podcast listening options, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and can also be watched on YouTube. The supplied report does not state the episode’s publication date or provide a transcript of the conversation.
A Second Act for the Restaurant
The episode offers a look at a decision many restaurant operators face: how to respond when early attention fades and a business becomes harder to sustain at its initial pace. Libertine’s reputation and popular dish brought strong early interest, but VinePair’s description says that did not make consistently filling the room easy over time.
For diners, the change means the restaurant occupying the space is now Capitaine rather than Libertine. For the wider hospitality trade, Pruitt’s account may provide insight into how a chef or owner translates the strengths and weaknesses of an established concept into a new one. The available material, however, does not establish Capitaine’s performance, customer response, or financial outlook.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Libertine to Capitaine
VinePair frames the episode around a sequence of events: Pruitt opened Libertine, the restaurant received immediate acclaim, and its saucisse-purée became a signature draw. About three years later, the initial fervor had lessened, according to the episode description. Pruitt chose to close the restaurant rather than continue with the same concept, and the space became Capitaine.
The episode is part of The Buildout, a VinePair series about restaurant development. The source also identifies Farmer’s Gin as the episode sponsor. Its promotional copy says the gin is made in Idaho using regenerative, organically certified grain grown on a family farm; that material is advertising, not independent reporting about the restaurant or the podcast discussion.
““Pruitt made the difficult decision to close Libertine and transform the space into a new concept: Capitaine.””
— VinePair’s episode description
Details Not Given in the Episode Listing
The supplied source does not specify when the episode was released, when Libertine closed, or when Capitaine began operating. It also provides no menu, pricing, opening hours, location details beyond the use of Libertine’s space, or information about Capitaine’s current reservation availability.
The explanation of Libertine’s slowing momentum comes from VinePair’s episode description; the source offers no attendance figures, revenue data, or separate statements from staff or customers to measure that change. The listing also does not include a full transcript, so Pruitt’s detailed comments and any discussion of how Capitaine is performing cannot be confirmed from the material provided.
Where to Hear Pruitt’s Account
Readers can watch the episode on YouTube or listen through VinePair’s online player and the podcast’s listings on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The episode is presented as a conversation about Pruitt’s decision and the lessons behind the change; the supplied report does not announce a follow-up episode, further restaurant changes, or a future milestone for Capitaine.
For more detail on the restaurant’s direction and Pruitt’s reasoning, the full conversation is the next source to consult. Until further information is available, questions about Capitaine’s menu, operating status, and reception remain open.
Key Questions
What is The Buildout episode about?
It features Cody Pruitt discussing the closure of Libertine, the creation of Capitaine in the same space, and what he learned from running the earlier restaurant.
Why did Pruitt close Libertine?
VinePair says the restaurant’s initial fervor had faded after about three years and that filling the dining room every night was no longer as easy. Pruitt decided to start over with a concept intended to be easier for regulars to revisit.
What was Libertine known for?
VinePair describes Libertine as a highly acclaimed New York restaurant and identifies its saucisse-purée as a fan favorite.
Where can I watch or listen to the episode?
VinePair lists the episode on YouTube, its online player, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
When did Capitaine open?
The supplied episode description does not give Capitaine’s opening date or confirm its current operating status.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
