How to move forward when even your clothes are gone: an Altadena chef recounts his comeback after the fires

In early December, husband and wife team Tyler and Ashley Wells opened their new restaurant, Bernee, on Mariposa Street in Altadena.

It was their dream restaurant, envisioned after a successful run with their Los Feliz restaurant, All Time. A back-to-basics menu that changed daily, with most of the food prepared on an open wood-burning hearth.

For the first few weeks, the restaurant was a success, packed every night. Their personal lives did not go as smoothly — during this time, Ashley and Tyler decided to part ways as a couple.

Tyler moved into a small backhouse on the east side of Altadena, overlooking Eaton Canyon. But he would only spend a total of four nights there, because on Jan. 7, while he was at the restaurant, the Eaton Fire began sweeping through. His was one of the first h