As it approaches the one-year mark in the Plaza at Preston Center, Frenchie is earning its wink-and-a-nod name by lifting the pretense away from French cuisine. The newest restaurant in Dallas-based Travis Street Hospitality’s portfolio, which includes Le Bilboquet, Knox Bistro and Georgie, this friendly cafe departs slightly from the formula. Here, co-founders Stephan Courseau and Daniele Garcia, and Culinary Director Bruno Davaillon, have created a neighborhood spot for all-day dining – no matter where the day might take you.
“This is a restaurant that needs to stay approachable,” Courseau says. “It’s a playful menu.”
To lead this young kitchen, which is rooted in tradition with plenty of twists, Courseau tapped Reilly Brown. Michigan-born and classically trained, Brown brings skill, a sense of adventure, and plenty of curiosity to the role of executive chef. On a morning in March, with the stylish restaurant’s dining room open to the early spring breeze, we chatted with Courseau and Brown to learn more about Frenchie’s unique menu.
“I let the seasons dictate the flavors,” says Brown. “In Napa, that was a big driving force for developing my style of cooking. I like to highlight a central ingredient and build things around it to bring it up.”
After completing his degree at the Culinary Institute of America, Brown immersed himself in the food culture of the Napa Valley. Known as a cradle of the farm-to-table movement, the region is also home to many of our nation’s most prestigious restaurants. Notably, during his tenure as sous chef at PRESS in St. Helena, the restaurant earned a Michelin star…