Billings Restaurant Dynasty Ends as Local Kitchen Owner Makes Hard Choice

Kenneth Rakstad knew the time had come to make an impossible choice.

For ten years, Local Kitchen & Bar served as a West End gathering place where neighbors watched chefs work their magic behind glass walls.

But managing two restaurants proved financially and physically exhausting for the veteran chef who started cooking professionally at age 15.

"The Local is very quaint... We get to talk with our guests while we're cooking. Most restaurants, you don't get to have that interaction," Rakstad reflected this week.

After purchasing Copper Onion Bistro in 2023, the chef found himself stretched beyond his limits.

"Bouncing between two restaurants was extremely difficult," he admitted.

Sunday, September 14 marks the final day of service for the Local Kitchen & Bar at 1430 Country Manor Boulevard.

The closure comes amid a wave of restaurant shutdowns hitting Billings, including Wild Ginger and fan-favorite Bin 119 downtown.

Industry experts say there isn't one reason for the closures, but restaurants without capital backing struggle to survive.

Yet Rakstad's decision wasn't about failure - it was about strategic focus.

His Slumbering Jacks burger just placed fifth internationally at the World Food Championships, cementing Copper Onion's reputation.

The bistro also won both this year's and last year's Big Sky Burger Bonanza judge's choice awards.

"I kind of know my place in the chef world. I think I belong competing," Rakstad said confidently.

Loyal Local Kitchen fans won't lose everything they loved about the restaurant.

Rakstad plans to bring signature dishes like breakfast hash browns, skewered shrimp, and poke bowls to Copper Onion Bistro on Shiloh Road.

Unused Local gift cards can be exchanged for Copper Onion credit.

"When COVID happened, when everything was shut down, the west end supported us exponentially... It's been a really great run," Rakstad said gratefully.

The chef's journey from opening his first restaurant in Wyoming at age 27 to becoming a world-recognized burger master reflects the relentless dedication that defines Billings' restaurant scene.

As downtown Billings welcomes ten new businesses this year, Rakstad's consolidation strategy may prove prescient in an industry where profit margins can disappear with a few percentage points of error.

For Local Kitchen's devoted following, September 14 represents the end of an era - but potentially the beginning of an even stronger Copper Onion legacy.