Members focus > CHEF PATRICK ORANGE, LA CHAUMIÈRE RESTAURANT
February 5, 2007
When Washingtonians want a traditional French meal, their choice for three
decades has been La Chaumière on M Street in Georgetown.
Operated under the partnership of chef Patrick Orange and business manager Martin Lumet, La Chaumière’s menu reads like a hit list of French favorites: quenelle de brochet (pike dumpling in lobster sauce), boudin blanc (chicken and pork sausages), magret de canard (duck breast), and cassoulet “Toulousain” (lamb stew and sausage with baked beans).
Chef Orange said La Chaumière’s attraction is staying with dishes that provide a taste of hearty French eating. “You won’t find the fancy ‘food towers’ of nouvelle cuisine at our restaurant,” he explained. “We keep to the classics, and our customers like the line-up of traditional dishes.”
A native of Reims in the heart of France’s Champagne region, Orange has been in Washington since 1983, working at restaurants that include La Colline and Le Mistral. He came to La Chaumière in 1994, and purchased the controlling interest in the restaurant with business partner Martin Lumet last June.
“Our clientele has a refined taste,” Orange explained. “Many of our regulars are well-traveled, they appreciate eating well, and they know what they want.”
La Chaumière was named one of Washingtonian magazine’s Very Best Restaurants in 2006. The publication’s write-up highlighted the draw of “this trusty standby, whose fireplace and beamed ceiling re-create the charming, cozy atmosphere of a French country inn. The only thing more dependable than the crowd of old-timers is the remarkably consistent service and the well-handled repertoire of bistro classics.”
La Chaumière
2813 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Tel: 202 338-1784
Website: www.lachaumieredc.com
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