Les Faux Bourgeois reopens with new direction after staff overhaul and ownership changes

Les Faux Bourgeois has closed its doors briefly to recalibrate after ownership and staff changes, and before reopening the team gathered for an in-depth staff tasting to work through the new direction together.

A staff tasting isn't regular dining—it's interactive, collaborative, and pedagogical. The entire front and back of house sit together, dishes arrive one after another, and chefs David Cassese and Brent Thornton explain what they're trying to achieve. Servers ask questions, scribble notes, and share impressions. For drinks, straws are cut in half so coworkers can sample before committing to the final version. The point isn't consensus; it's listening, questioning, adjusting.

The seafood on the rotating ice plate was fresh and beautifully presented. The bread, as expected from a Parisian-style bistro, was excellent. The moules frites hit precisely, and the escargot came generously portioned—the kind of detail that suggests real care in the kitchen.

What made this tasting different was that it wasn't a new restaurant finding its footing; it was a well-loved one trying to evolve without forgetting why people loved it in the first place. Change, even when it's objectively better, can feel like someone has rearranged the furniture in your living room. The Faux Bourgeois team seemed acutely aware of that tension, building a menu that respects the reasons regulars have a usual table and a usual steak order.