South Florida keeps growing as the nation's up-and-coming culinary destination. Case in point: Chef Thomas Keller announced yesterday plans to open Bouchon, the award-winning French bistro, in Coral Gables, Florida in early 2023. The chef/proprietor behind three-star Michelin restaurants The French Laundry in Napa Valley, Calif. and Per Se in New York has one South Florida venue — The Surf Club Restaurant, recently awarded a Michelin star. Chef Keller will be collaborating with Chef de Cuisine Thomas Castellon, an alum of The Surf Club Restaurant and TAK Room, NYC, to lead the culinary team.
In keeping with Chef Keller’s Yountville and Las Vegas locations, the menu will be centered around Bouchon’s seasonally changing French dishes and will include its signature raw bar with a selection of “fruits de mer.” Quintessential offerings such as Bibb Lettuce Salad, Escargots de Bourgogne, Steak Frites, Roast Chicken and Mussels will remain fixtures throughout the year.
The restaurant will be opening in the storied La Palma building, a historic structure that dates to 1924 and is designated on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally designed by architect H. George Fink, it is composed in the Small Mediterranean Style, an aesthetic that originated in Coral Gables and which Mr. Fink is credited for naming. It was formerly home to the Cla-Reina Hotel — one of the longest-standing hotels in the area.
“Since opening The Surf Club Restaurant four years ago, it has been a great privilege to re-establish relationships in South Florida. We were enamored with the rich history of the La Palma building and Coral Gables neighborhood and we look forward to introducing our classic French Bistro to the community,” shares Chef Keller.
For updates leading to the opening, follow on Instagram @bouchon_bistro on Instagram.