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| Bibou Chef Ron Fougeray Leaves Philadelphia, Heads to Orange County |
On March 29, Bibou – one of Philadelphia's most innovative French restaurants – held the last of its popular $50 multi-course Sunday dinners with Chef Ron Fougeray. Fougeray is leaving town for the West Coast, and Bibou's owners – Chef Pierre Calmels and his wife, front-of-house boss Charlotte Calmels – are closing the BYOB for the month of April. They'll renovate Bibou, then reopen in May with Pierre in the kitchen offering tasting menus four nights a week for $100 per guest.
In 2015, Bibou, located in Philly's Italian Market area, will celebrate "six years of bone marrow, pig’s feet, escargots and thousands of great bottles of wine," writes Charlotte Calmels of the BYOB she shares with her husband. The other mainstay of the restaurant has been Fougeray – the Calmels' one-time sous chef – who ran Bibou exclusively while they opened their other French restaurant, Le Cheri, in Rittenhouse Square (when Pierre leaves Le Cheri, Steve DeLorean will take over as chef).
In the first week of April, Fougeray is leaving Philadelphia for Orange County, CA, where he will eventually open his own restaurant. Until then, he'll work for other restaurateurs, and is currently fielding offers from numerous California hot spots.
On March 29, Fougeray's final night at Bibou, he left diners with an exquisite 5-course meal to remember. First, a velvety onion soup with gougère and pickled eggplant, then appetizers – our plump escargots with fava beans and trumpet royale mushrooms was divine – followed by entrees including a gorgeous Flétan (wild Alaskan halibut confit, olive tapenade, black lentils) and a sumptuous St. Jacques (seared sea scallops, polenta, Brussels sprouts, cranberry), a delightful cheese course, and for the finale, a choice of decadent desserts.
Magnifique!
Bibou is located in Philadelphia, PA at 1108 S 8th Street between Carpenter Street and Washington Avenue. For more info call 215.965.8290 or visit BibouBYOB.com
Photos ©Reese Amorosi 2015
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2015
