When Gregory Cohen made a lunch date with his longtime friend, Eric Hassler, he expected to catch up and lend an ear to someone who had just been through a lot. Hassler’s wife of 25 years, Lori, died in July. Roughly a month later, he dropped off their daughter at college on the East Coast.
Hassler owned the beloved downtown Phoenix restaurant The Farish House with his late wife, the chef known for her French comfort food plates, warm hospitality and infectious personality. Following a long battle, she succumbed to ovarian cancer at the age of 54.
After his wife’s passing, Hassler decided to sell the restaurant. At lunch, he told Gregory about potential buyers. They all wanted to make major changes or even gut the building, making it nearly unrecognizable. Cohen responded with his thoughts about the restaurant, which he and his wife, Kathryn, deemed their favorite…