Report: Lachowicz brothers leave Le Francais

[ronnie_suburban]

Once again, our friends Jeff Ruby and Penny Pollack at Chicago Magazine have broken a big Chicago restaurant story. They've reported, in a special Dish Flash, that less than a year afer their arrival, the Brothers Lachowicz are leaving Le Francais, the Wheeling, IL icon, following a clash.

In September 2003, according to Michael Lachowicz, the Lachowiczes signed a contract that would give them a 49 percent ownership interest in the hallowed French spot immediately and 49 percent of the real estate over a ten-year period. But Michael Lachowicz says Mike Moran, who owns the Le Français name and the building, never signed the contract.

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[budrichard]

It never ceases to amaze me, the association between a name and a function after the orginal function/build/owner/whatever has changed. I have eaten or attempted to eat under all the changes in ownership/management. Certainly it has been heading downhill since Banchet left with some bright spots I must admit. Why anyone would purchase a Pontiac GTO of today, expecting to capture the nostalgia of yesterday is a mystery to me. Le Francais was Jean Banchet, the right restaurant for the times. The Liccioni's are/were(they are divorced) good wherever they are serving. Frankly, today there are many excellent restaurants to consider rather than wondering who will show up at Le Francais. -Dick

[ronnie_suburban]

It never ceases to amaze me, the association between a name and a function after the orginal function/build/owner/whatever has changed. I have eaten or attempted to eat under all the changes in ownership/management. Certainly it has been heading downhill since Banchet left with some bright spots I must admit. Why anyone would purchase a Pontiac GTO of today, expecting to capture the nostalgia of yesterday is a mystery to me. Le Francais was Jean Banchet, the right restaurant for the times. The Liccioni's are/were(they are divorced) good wherever they are serving. Frankly, today there are many excellent restaurants to consider rather than wondering who will show up at Le Francais. -Dick

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I agree. For whatever reason, this 'brand' name has held its value far longer than can rationally be explained. Le Francais is simply a classic French restaurant, VERY FAR from downtown Chicago, which shares a name with its former incarnations. There are very few remaining connections (if any) between the entities, even though the food may be quite outstanding at Le Francais. At this point in time, the closest that anyone is going to come to revisiting the 'old' Le Francais is to visit Les Nomades (run by the Licciones) and even that, I'm sure they would readily admit, isn't Le Francais.

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[gmi3804]

My experience at the new Le Francais was good, at best. (I posted my review shortly after going - remember, I was the cheapass whose $1 tip to the valet was rudely refused!)

Le Deux Gros had its followers, but also had many detractors (it was savaged by one of the three reviewers on "Check, Please!") I'm wondering if the Brothers didn't try to do too much too fast? This certainly seems like a BIG career mistake.

[ronnie_suburban]

My experience at the new Le Francais was good, at best.  (I posted my review shortly after going - remember, I was the cheapass whose $1 tip to the valet was rudely refused!)

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LOL! That was you?! I'd totally forgotten about that

Looking back, this does seem to be a huge mistake by the brothers, but who knows what things were like at Les Deux Gros before they decided to jump off there. Still, as a business owner, I cannot imagine moving any of my property anywhere with a signed contract and a 'green light' from our GC. Clearly, there's more going on here than either side is willing to reveal at the moment...

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[ronnie_suburban]

More on this story from today's Chicago Sun-Times...

...the Lachowicz brothers quit in a dispute with financial backer and suburban transportation executive Michael J. Moran.

The brothers say Moran promised them -- but never delivered -- a 49 percent ownership in the business.

They said they signed a partnership agreement in February spelling out the deal, but haven't seen it since after repeated requests to Moran.

"His response has been either no response at all or a response that's less than adequate," Michael Lachowicz said. "He said the bank told him he couldn't sign it until we were in the black."

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[adoxograph]

Am I the only one to find it terribly amusing that Chicago mag's best restaurant list includes Le Francais in the face of all of this drama?

Anyone want to take bets on whether or not it will be able to maintain its spot on the list in the coming year?

[gmi3804]

I could never understand Chicago Magazine's restaurant ratings. Three stars for Ambria? C'mon! I really don't trust their ratings. They seem very fixated on the "new".

Le Francais really hasn't been four-star calibre since the Liccionis left several years ago.

Chicago needs better, more world-class restaurant criticism than what it currently has. Its restaurants deserve better.

[ronnie_suburban]

The Le Francais story was updated by Dish this week. Seems Banchet, who is still in the picture as a consultant, will choose the new chef and the Brothers L. have agreed to stay on, for an interim period.

As for the quality of criticism in Chicago Magazine, I find it to be excellent and measured most of the time but also a bit too "safe" at times too. At the high end, I agree that things don't tend to change very much. These "best/finest" issues tend to have a lot of the same names on them year in, year out. Is that a function of the magazine or our dining scene? I imagine opinions run in all directions in that discussion.

But, I've been lead to some great places over the years via Chicago Magazine's "Best New Restaurants" issues so I appreciate the information they deliver. They also report most excellently on the news of the Chicagoland dining scene. Still, I wish there were more...more info about food shopping, more info about street food, more info about the "neighborhood" joints that we all hit on a regular basis. Frankly, I wish Chicago Magazine were just about food.

As for the specific status of Le Francais, its winding story reflects a truism I heard a long time ago (can't remember where) that American's "love their brands." As budrichard posted upthread, their seems to be an irrational zeal permanently attached to this restaurant because of what it once was. Perhaps it will be great again, but it will be the same place in name only, regardless of its quality. Its inclusion on this most recent list makes some sense to me because reviews had been stellar since the Brothers L. had arrived.

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[ronnie_suburban]

Well, according Chicago Magazine's Dish the Le Francais saga continues to unfold...

[owner, Mike] Moran, who says the rest of the LF staff have stayed, is keeping mum on his new hire until early November when a contract can be inked. But he sounds utterly giddy about the man he and Jean Banchet handpicked: “He is a classic French chef in Chicago,” says Moran. “If he can start November 1st, fine; if not, I can wait.” Interesting. So . . . the big question is, who is the mystery chef? (We have an idea.) Anyone want to venture a guess?

First of all, if this comes down to a signed contract, the place may never re-open. As you may recall, it was an "unsigned" contract which precipitated the departure of the Brothers L in the first place.

That said, would anyone care to guess on who the next chef will be?

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[ryanj]

Well, according Chicago Magazine's Dish the Le Francais saga continues to unfold...

First of all, if this comes down to a signed contract, the place may never re-open.  As you may recall, it was an "unsigned" contract which precipitated the departure of the Brothers L in the first place.

That said, would anyone care to guess on who the next chef will be?

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Opening guess for the next chef, Eric Aubriot. Perhaps Martial Nougier from 160 Blue. Both are Frenchies, both are in difficult situations right now with 160 still in the air a little bit.

[ronnie_suburban]

Opening guess for the next chef, Eric Aubriot. Perhaps Martial Nougier from 160 Blue. Both are Frenchies, both are in difficult situations right now with 160 still in the air a little bit.

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Yes! Aubriot is a great guess

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[nr706]

Yes!  Aubriot is a great guess

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Did anyone else notice the reference to François Kwaku-Dongo toward the bottom of the Dish posting? Another guess ...

[gmi3804]

Never having gone to any of of Aubriot's, I still wonder: Is he talented enough to resuscitate the floundering Le Francaise? His track record hasn't been that great (three closed/re-thought restaurants in a relatively short amount of time, albeit for different, complicated reasons). There seems to be the impression that he's talented, or maybe it's just the French name that's contributing to that. Unfortunately, his reputation, rightly or wrongly, has been tarnished. I hope if he is the new chef at Le Francaise that he can finally hit his stride, but I'm afraid he'll be facing an uphill battle in a remote location.

[ronnie_suburban]

I hope if he is the new chef at Le Francaise that he can finally hit his stride, but I'm afraid he'll be facing an uphill battle in a remote location.

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Yes...an absolutely horrendous, remote location.

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[gmi3804]

Dish has reported that the new chef is Roland Liccioni!

Edited November 3, 2004 by gmi3804 (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

Ahh, George...you beat me too it!

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[gmi3804]

Ahh, George...you beat me too it!

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HE SCORES!

[yellow truffle]

Dish has reported that the new chef is Roland Liccioni!

Ahh, George...you beat me too it!

HE SCORES!  

You guys are a bunch of nerds.

[ronnie_suburban]

Dish has reported that the new chef is Roland Liccioni!

Ahh, George...you beat me too it!

HE SCORES!  

You guys are a bunch of nerds.

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Completely

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[gmi3804]

Dish has reported that the new chef is Roland Liccioni!

Ahh, George...you beat me too it!

HE SCORES!  

You guys are a bunch of nerds.

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Completely

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[ronnie_suburban]

From the Phil Vettel's column in the 11/5 edition of the Chicago Tribune...

Although there have been four head chefs at the renowned Le Francais in its 31-year history, as far as the majority of its fans are concerned, there really have been only two--founding chef Jean Banchet and Roland Liccioni.

One of them is coming back.

Liccioni, who served as chef of Le Francais from 1989-99, is returning to the Wheeling restaurant that helped make him famous.

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