Le Bec-Fin enters its final year in business

In 2008, we poked fun at a hyped-up 6ABC piece featuring the one and only Georges Perrier getting misty over a "blockbuster announcement" concerning his landmark Le Bec-Fin. While the hype-driven, film-at-11 promos might've had a casual observer convinced that ol' Georges would be hanging up his saucepan after close to 40 years in business, the big reveal turned out to be that the chef was turning in his five Mobil stars, going casual by allowing an a la carte option - and jeans - in his famously appointed dining room. How slick, Georges, we thought. At the time, it seemed like a savvy, albeit dramatic, strategy to catapult the temple of haute cuisine into modernity. It's odd looking back on it now that we've learned that Perrier really will hang up that saucepan - behind the line at Le Bec-Fin, at least. Michael Klein of the Inquirer had the story, in which the icon admits that "it's time to move on," this past Friday. Perrier has provided Meal Ticket with a brief statement on LBF's closure as well as the timeline of his still-preliminary new projects. "After 40 successful years with Le Bec-Fin, I have decided to move forward with two to three new concepts in the Philadelphia area," the chef says in his statement. "In the meantime, Le Bec-Fin will continue to be the fine restaurant the world knows it to be. Le Bec-Fin is the crown jewel of our group and will remain in operation at least thru June 1, 2011, at which time we should have our new venues operating." (Perrier mentioned to Klein that two of his three planned concepts will be in the city, with the third outside city limits.) We're assuming that the news of Le Bec-Fin's closure has many people making (or seriously considering making) reservations, so this info gives you a general idea of how long you'll have to get in. There's more time pressure, however, for those wishing to take advantage of the restaurant's $40, 40th-anniversary menu, which will be offered Tuesday to Friday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. through the rest of the summer. Meal Ticketers: What is your take on Le Bec-Fin closing? An inevitability of the 21st-century dining climate? Indicative of a shift in what currently constitutes fine dining? Both? Neither? Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, July 26-30 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper Posted 2010-08-02 08:02:06

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Le Bec-Fin enters its final year in business

POSTED: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 1:00 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Closings

In 2008, we poked fun at a hyped-up 6ABC piece featuring the one and only Georges Perrier getting misty over a "blockbuster announcement" concerning his landmark Le Bec-Fin. While the hype-driven, film-at-11 promos might've had a casual observer convinced that ol' Georges would be hanging up his saucepan after close to 40 years in business, the big reveal turned out to be that the chef was turning in his five Mobil stars, going casual by allowing an a la carte option and jeans in his famously appointed dining room. How slick, Georges, we thought. At the time, it seemed like a savvy, albeit dramatic, strategy to catapult the temple of haute cuisine into modernity. It's odd looking back on it now that we've learned that Perrier really will hang up that saucepan behind the line at Le Bec-Fin, at least. Michael Klein of the Inquirer had the story, in which the icon admits that "it's time to move on," this past Friday. Perrier has provided Meal Ticket with a brief statement on LBF's closure as well as the timeline of his still-preliminary new projects. "After 40 successful years with Le Bec-Fin, I have decided to move forward with two to three new concepts in the Philadelphia area," the chef says in his statement. "In the meantime, Le Bec-Fin will continue to be the fine restaurant the world knows it to be. Le Bec-Fin is the crown jewel of our group and will remain in operation at least thru June 1, 2011, at which time we should have our new venues operating." (Perrier mentioned to Klein that two of his three planned concepts will be in the city, with the third outside city limits.) We're assuming that the news of Le Bec-Fin's closure has many people making (or seriously considering making) reservations, so this info gives you a general idea of how long you'll have to get in. There's more time pressure, however, for those wishing to take advantage of the restaurant's $40, 40th-anniversary menu, which will be offered Tuesday to Friday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. through the rest of the summer. Meal Ticketers: What is your take on Le Bec-Fin closing? An inevitability of the 21st-century dining climate? Indicative of a shift in what currently constitutes fine dining? Both? Neither?

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, July 26-30 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2010-08-02 08:02:06

[...] Le Bec-Fin is closing after 40 years, and it’s set a timeline. [...]

anthony maccarone

Posted 2010-07-27 08:39:58

Lafrieda meats of NYC now has a philadelphia office 215-806-0911

Tweets that mention Le Bec-Fin enters its final year in business :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-07-27 11:55:56

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by MyersConstructs,Inc., TSHN and Meal Ticket, marc louis. marc louis said:  Le Bec-Fin enters its final year in business: We're assuming that the news of Le Bec-Fin's closure has many peop... http://bit.ly/drZOR8 [...]

Georges Perrier on Le Bec-Fin’s second chance :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-04 19:55:33

[...] because he had a damn fine time. Perrier informed his staff in days previous that he would not be closing his legendary French restaurant as planned. “Such an outpouring of letters from all over the world, many from Philadelphia, insisted that [...]

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