DK Kitchen is closed after not quite five months

WICHITA — After not quite five months in business, DK Kitchen has closed.

Owner Douglas “D.J.” Pitts says he “just couldn’t sustain a business as far as customer traffic goes.”

He says he needed only 30 or 40 diners a day, and with thousands of downtown workers he didn’t think that would be a problem.

Pitts doesn’t blame the location at 217 E. Douglas even though several other restaurants also have failed there.

“If I had more money to open a restaurant . . . obviously there probably are better locations.”

Pitts had 626 Douglas at 626 E. Douglas downtown in 2004 for about a year.

He also was the chef for a while at the now-closed Bella Donna.

Pitts isn’t sure what he’ll do next.

“I’m just kind of taking a step back,” he says.

He’s still committed to food, though.

“It is what I do.

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  • fizz

    There’s a Braum’s on West Douglas!

  • mopar

    There’s an empty Braums on West Central.

  • owenstrawn

    This is a crying shame. Wichita is a better place whenever there’s a Pitts restaurant.

  • WlCHlTAN

    Seems like he has been the common denominator in quite a few failed eateries? Surely he isn’t the problem?

  • loripop

    Doug Pitts is the best chef in Wichita. Bar none. That he is not properly appreciated speaks to the culinary naivete of the populace, not to his amazing talent.

  • wichitareader123

    I 100% agree with loripop! From what I’ve heard 626 was closed by choice to pursue another opportunity. I’m pretty sure he was not at Bella Donna for at least several months before they decided to close. As for DK Kitchen I refer back to the previous comment made by loripop.

  • WichitaWordsmith

    Well, that’s 3 out of half a million or so who think he’s fabulous… I guess the other 499,997 folks must be wrong.

    Actually, make that 499,996. I would not count myself there as I’ve no opinion one way or the other. Never ate his food, that I can recall. Don’t know if he’s any good or not from my own experience.

    However, whent he story of your career is littered with words like “former” restaurant, “no closed” and “for about a year” it seems to indicate that, just maybe, your track record suggests that you’re not all that great.

  • http://www.budgetblinds.com/hutchinson easilydistracted

    Many Wichita diners little appreciation for sophisticated food. Many more Wichita diners are fickle. Doug is a great chef. Maybe he’s not no great at business. I’m sorry I missed the opportunity to visit DK Kitchen. I loved 626 E Douglas and wish Doug the best of luck in whatever comes next for him.