Those Who Want to Dine at The Lost Kitchen May Be Waiting for Years to Come

For chef Erin French of The Lost Kitchen, bringing success to her small hometown of Freedom, Maine wasn't the plan. At first, she was in school to be a doctor before she dropped out and took time to raise her son.

But now, her restaurant is sought after by people all over the world, and she has her own show on the Magnolia Network. In it, she's showing households across America how making food is a craft of love.

How much does it cost to eat at The Lost Kitchen? With a restaurant so popular, you might think it would be over the top and expensive. But the prices may surprise you.

Currently, The Lost Kitchen's dining room is closed for the season. It plans to open back up in the warmer months and those ready for a seat at Erin's table can sign up for the restaurant's newsletter for an April 1, 2022, update. But because of the way Erin runs her kitchen, there's no set menu. In fact, there's a new one every night.

Rest assured that regardless of what you eat at The Lost Kitchen, it's always fresh. In an interview with People, Erin said that no two nights are the same. Every day that the restaurant is open, she goes out to see what foods are available to her and bases that evening's courses on that.

According to The Press Herald, a dinner at The Lost Kitchen isn't exactly cheap. A fixed-price meal is $195, and that's before drinks or tips. But what's more daunting than the price of your meal may be the wait to even get a seat at the table. People all over the world clamor for a chance to dine there.

Erin and her staff choose who gets to dine there at random out of the postcards they've been asked to send in. That's the only way to make a reservation. Those chosen will be called to book their reservation.

Unfortunately, this process will probably mean people may wait years to get a seat. Luckily, if you aren't chosen or can't get seated on the date you'd like, a waiting list is available.

According to People, The Lost Kitchen seats 48 seats available per night, four nights a week. And since it's seasonal, it's only open six months out of the year. Erin told the publication that having people send postcards instead of calling in to make a reservation has made the process more personal.

"I feel we're getting to know these people as we see their cards," she said. "They put themselves into each one. It's always exciting to see whose card it was when you get to meet them and they come into our world."

At the time of the People article, Erin had gotten 70,000 postcards from hopeful guests and hadn't thrown any of them away. She keeps them all in her attic. "You can't throw them away," she said. "They're people's hopes and dreams."

But if you're stuck on her restaurant's waitlist, try her cookbook. In it, you'll find 100 recipes to choose from that can give you a feel of what to expect when you finally make your reservation.

Seasons 1 and 2 of The Lost Kitchen are now airing on the Magnolia Network.