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"Launched in 2011, I found the Cow by Bear pop-up to be one of San Diego’s most successful concepts — it sold out its intimate, 14-seat dinners every night at the height of its popularity. Helmed by “Chef Bear,” a human chef dressed head-to-toe in a fuzzy bear costume, the five-course meals revolved around different themes while the main course was always a 50-day dry-aged ribeye. Buoyed by local embrace, the pop-up expanded to Seattle and Savannah. After a satisfying seven-year run it has announced it’s winding down and ceasing its regular dinner schedule; the founder, who prefers to remain anonymous, says he may explore destination dinners in Mexico or Joshua Tree that would still be accessible to San Diego fans. Before it says farewell, one final five-course dinner with beverage pairings is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, with tickets available now. The founder’s next project is a nearly fully funded Kickstarter cookbook called Food by Bear — an extension of his monthly newsletters that will combine a memoir and hospitality guide with nearly 200 new original recipes." - Candice Woo