The owner of one of the Bay Area’s fanciest restaurants is now toning down the high-end vibe he created at his restaurant Baumé in Palo Alto. Bruno Chemel is rebranding his expensive eatery and will be offering options that are a bit more affordable. Starting next month, Chemel and his wife will reopen the Baumé space on California Avenue under the new name Bistronomie by Baumé. “Bistronomie is a combination of fine food with a more open, casual, and friendly atmosphere, serving high-level meals at lower prices in a more relaxed environment,” states the restaurant’s website.
The prix fixe, pescatarian tasting menu will offer six courses for $168, and the opening menu will feature octopus, cauliflower, salmon, seabass, cheese, and dessert. The modern French restaurant will also offer the option to add a seventh course of Kagoshima Wagyu beef for $75 for 2 ounces, or $150 for 4 ounces. Before the rebrand, Baumé offered a similar fish-based menu that was $298. It also offered another option for $398.
“In the spirit of bistronomy, I see an opportunity to serve high-level meals at lower prices in a more relaxed environment. This concept arose in France in the 1990s and has never been more right for the times. This is an ideal way for me to break with the past,” Brunel said in a statement to the Mercury News.
Chemel says he will stay focused on “creative gastronomic cooking techniques using local, seasonal ingredients.” Brunel says that the new, simpler setup inside Bistronomie by Baumé will feature brighter colors, all-new artwork, and no tablecloths. On the website, he tells customers there will not be an in-house pastry chef and that there will be fewer staff members waiting tables.
Throughout his career, which started as a culinary student in Moulins, France, Chemel has been known for earning Michelin stars for his elevated creations at Baumé. Before that, he earned Michelin honors as a chef at Chez TJ in Mountain View, but after Baumé lost its two Michelin stars last year, Chemel has been outspoken in his distaste for the Michelin organization.
“The erratic, corporate focus and fixations of the [Michelin] Guide have been a distraction for years, creating no value for restaurateurs or diners," Chemel tells the Mercury News. "I finally feel free to enjoy cooking just for the happiness of my guests. Instead of following the status quo, I can follow my own vision and listen to the customer’s feedback, not the Michelin guidelines.”
Bistronomie by Baumé will open on March 8th and will offer dinner Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 5:00 p.m to 8:30 p.m.
