Brasserie Les Halles

History

The restaurant was opened in 1990 by chefs Jose de Meirelles, Philippe Lajaunie, and Jean-Michel Diot and named after Les Halles, the historic central wholesale marketplace in Paris. The restaurant served simple and classic French dishes such as escargot, foie gras, and steak tartare, which was prepared to order at tableside, and was renowned for its pommes frites. The original Park Avenue location featured a butcher shop that specialized in French cuts of meat. Author and television host Anthony Bourdain worked there in the late 1990s as executive chef.

The Washington, D.C. location of Les Halles closed in mid-November 2008 following a fifteen-year run. Owner Philippe Lajaunie cited difficulty obtaining a new lease as the reason.

In its 2013 user poll, Zagat gave its two New York restaurants each a food rating of 21 out of 30.

Executive chef Carlos Llaguno died of cancer at age 38 in February 2015. Bourdain paid tribute to Llaguno on Facebook saying, "Rest In Peace Chef Carlos Llaguno Garcia. A great friend, a great chef, a great person. He will be missed by all who knew him."

The Park Avenue location of Les Halles closed in March 2016. The Miami location closed as well. Les Halles went out of business in August 2017. In 2018, Les Halles, though closed down, became a memorial to Anthony Bourdain after his suicide.

In March 2022, a new French-style restaurant named La Brasserie opened in the former Les Halles space on Park Avenue. La Brasserie owner Francis Staub, previously the founder of Staub cookware, expressed his intent to continue the Brasserie Les Halles philosophy. Some iconic dishes by Anthony Bourdain, such as the Steak Frites, are kept on the menu as an homage. La Brasserie was rebranded as 'Chez Francis' in April 2023.

References

References

1. "Brasserie Les Halles official site".
2. "Les Halles | Manhattan | Restaurant Menus and Reviews". Zagat.
3. (20 July 2021). "The Untold Truth Of Brasserie Les Halles".
4. (1996-06-13). "Cambridge Guide to the American Theatre (address)". Cambridge University Press.
5. Khabiri, Layla. (February 12, 2015). "Les Halles Executive Chef, Carlos Llaguno Garcia, Has Died at Age 38".
6. Dai, Serena. (August 22, 2017). "Former Bourdain Home Les Halles Shutters Last Outpost Amid Bankruptcy".
7. (June 10, 2018). "Fans Pay Tribute to Anthony Bourdain Outside New York City Restaurant Where He Once Worked".
8. Sutherland-Namako, Amber. (March 7, 2022). "A new restaurant opens in NYC's famed Les Halles space tomorrow".
9. Good, Rana. (2024-05-24). "12 New Experiences To Try In New York City This Spring".