Warren Thompson, left, and L’Auberge Chez Francois owner/executive chef Jacques Haeringer. Photo courtesy of Thompson Restaurants
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The Washington D.C.-area restaurant L’Auberge Chez Francois has been around for 72 years. Starting this month, the family-operated business is getting a little help.
The D.C.-based multi-concept group Thompson Restaurants on Tuesday announced it has become a “steward” of L’Auberge Chez Francois, which has long been an institution in the region’s dining scene.
It’s not clear whether that involves an acquisition or investment. But Warren Thompson, president of Thompson Restaurants, has been a long-term guest at L’Auberge Chez Francois, a destination spot in Great Falls, Virginia, as well as sister concept Jacques’ Brasserie. By bringing L’Auberge into the Thompson portfolio, he pledged to ensure the restaurant’s traditions, hospitality and Alsatian culinary spirit continue.
“Being part of this restaurant’s story isn’t something I take lightly,” said Thompson, in a statement. “As a long-standing member of the community, this restaurant has always held significance to me, long before I ever imagined playing a role in its future.
“Places like this are rare,” he continued, “they become part of how a community remembers itself. My role now is simple, to help make sure it’s here, in the same spirit, for decades to come.”
Alsatian Chef Francois “Papa” Haeringer first opened the restaurant Chez Francois in Washington, D.C. in 1954, with a menu featuring classic French cuisine. In 1976, he brought the restaurant to a new home in Great Falls as L’Auberge Chez Francois, where it became known for seasonal French cooking in a storybook setting.
The restaurant is now led by Francois’ son Jacques Haeringer, who remains owner and executive chef.
The restaurant has been named among OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants in America, and the Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants, in addition to local “best of” lists. Jacques is also known for hosting the PBS cooking show “Two for Tonight” and the related cookbook.
Jacques, in a statement, said, “For decades, we’ve created exceptional culinary experiences, built on fine cuisine and excellent service. It’s all about the memories people build here, one visit at a time.
“This next chapter is built around carrying that feeling forward, for the guests who’ve been coming for decades and the ones just discovering us,” he added. “Warren has loved this restaurant as a guest for years, and he understands what makes it special as well as anyone, which is exactly why I trust him with its future.”
Dining and Cooking