If you’ve lived in Palm Springs long enough, you know the rhythm of our desert home. The energy shifts when the temperatures rise. Snowbirds fly north, summer locals scatter, visitors taper, and our streets feel just a little quieter. This year, that quiet seemed to start a bit earlier and has lasted a bit longer.

For restaurants like Freddie’s Kitchen, the “slow season” is real. Fewer guests means more time to reflect, to refine, and to lean into what makes this place special. We won’t pretend… it takes grit to keep the ovens hot and the team inspired when the dining room isn’t as full as we’d like. But here’s the honest truth: we’re still here, still cooking, and still doing what we love.

And that’s thanks to you.

Every time a local walk’s in with friends, every couple who chooses us for a date night, every visitor who discovers us tucked inside The Cole Hotel; you’re not just having dinner. You’re keeping a small, independent restaurant thriving in a community we love. You’re helping us pay staff, source from local farmers, and continue to consistently create dishes that carry stories and soul.

Slow season also gives us gifts. Chef Freddie gets to experiment, playing with new recipes, diving into market finds, dreaming up menu items that will soon become your new favorites. The kitchen hums with quiet creativity, and we emerge ready for the season ahead, stronger, and more inspired.

As we transition from our slowed pace of hot summer days that feel suspended in the long, golden afternoons, toward the vibrant pulse of fall in the desert, I am pleased to say it has been a year of gratitude, of resilience, and of deep appreciation for the people who keep us going. As our busy season approaches and Palm Springs wakes up again, we’re excited to welcome back our seasonal guests and introduce new dishes inspired by this time of growth. But we’ll never forget the locals, the lifeblood of this community, who secretly love the hot desert summers and who keep showing up.

Here’s to good food, good company, and a community that supports its own. Our table is always set for you.

• Chef Frederic Pierrel & The Team at Freddie’s Kitchen