Charcuterie boards paired with Burgundy wines are in test in six Texas cafes. | Photo courtesy of La Madeleine.
Earlier this month, Dallas-based La Madeleine rolled out a new menu, repositioning itself as a “brunch all day” destination. But maybe not everyone is in the mood for Crème Brulee French Toast or an indulgent Hot Honey Ham & Fromage panini with four melted cheeses at 4 p.m.
So the French-inspired bakery-café chain is now testing charcuterie boards with wine pairings at six Texas locations. It’s all part of a transformation strategy called “Ignite the Joy” initiated by CEO and president John Dillon about a year into his new role. His goal: to re-establish La Madeleine as a “third place” to meet and gather around food and drink.
“Bringing charcuterie to La Madeleine just felt like the right next step for us,” said Dillon, who spent many years in leadership roles at Denny’s. “We’ve always been about creating spaces where people can enjoy each other’s company, and this gives our guests another reason to do that, especially beyond the morning rush. It’s helped us naturally lean into the afternoon and early evening as more social, relaxed moments in our cafés.”
The new shareable Parisian Charcuterie Board is offered in two sizes. The larger one (about $20) includes prosciutto, folded salami, brie, goat cheese, Swiss, cheddar, fresh grapes, candied pecans and blackberry jam, served with baguette crostini; the smaller size omits the brie and pecans.
To pair with the boards, La Madeleine formed a new partnership with Louis Jadot winery to introduce two wines from Burgundy, France, to the menu. Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages is a light-bodied red and Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages Chardonnay is a white wine with green apple and citrus notes; both are available by the glass, split (half-bottle) or full bottle.
Although several new products were brought in for the test, “we didn’t reinvent everything to make it happen—we built on what we already do well and added a few carefully chosen items to round out the experience,” said Dillon. “Whether guests are lingering over a board in the café or picking one up to share at home, it’s really about making it easier to connect, unwind and enjoy time together.”
The Parisian Charcuterie Board and Louis Jadot wine offerings are available at participating Texas cafés in Champions, West Grand, Frisco, Camp Bowie, Flower Mound and Plano for a limited time, while supplies last.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.
Pat plans and executes menu, food and drink stories for Restaurant Business and hosts the weekly Menu Talk podcast. She provides in-depth coverage of chefs, trends and menu innovation.
View All Articles by This Author
Dining and Cooking