December 2017 Newsletter

Holiday Greetings from Chef Jacques
We want to wish everyone Happy Holidays from all the staff at L’Auberge Chez François and Jacques’ Brasserie. Every year at this time we are gratified to see so many of our regular customers who celebrate the holidays with us year after year. Thank you for making us part of your holiday traditions.

This was again a momentous year for us at L’Auberge Chez François and we have our loyal customers to thank for our ongoing success. We celebrated forty one years in Great Falls, Virginia and sixty-three total years in the Washington DC and metropolitan area.

Holiday celebrations came early for us this year as we were awarded OpenTable’s Best Restaurants in America for 2017, for the fifth year in a row, based on 12 million diner reviews of over 25,000 restaurants. L’Auberge Chez François and Jacques’ Brasserie were awarded in several categories of Open Table’s Diner’s Choice Awards. We were thrilled to have received an “Extraordinary to Perfect” rating by Zagat in 2017, a Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor, Washingtonian Top 100 Restaurants and Northern Virginia Magazine’s 50 Best Restaurants. Merci beaucoup, we are truly humbled and honored.

Still need to find the perfect gift for your friends and family? I say give the gift of good food and wine. We also feature engraved glassware, 100% silk scarves, cookbooks, DVDs and more. If you’re still uncertain, a gift certificate may be used at either of our restaurants, special events or merchandise. Browse merchandise at our online store here or purchase gift certificates online. If you would like to order a Bûche de Noël or any other full dessert, please email us at chezlauberge@aol.com, at least 48 hours in advance.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! We hope to see you soon.

Chef Jacques, Paul and the team at L’Auberge Chez François and Jacques’ Brasserie

A Chef’s Christmas Poem by Jacques Haeringer

T’was the night before Christmas, and all through the kitchen
Chefs scurried about while groaning and bitchin’.
The sauces were simmering and seasoned with care,
Because soon the reveling hordes all would be there.
The tables were set, and not a moment too soon;
Both waiters and hosts looked ready to swoon.
Will we ever be ready? It’s so hard to tell;
Our chances are as good as a snowball in hell.
The pressure was on. The geese were a-roasting,
As partiers began all their holiday toasting.
With bags full of presents, dressed in festive apparel.
Our guests made such a racket that drowned out the carols.
In the kitchen waiters shouted, while cooks swore through their teeth.
The scene was pure bedlam, not a moment of peace.
The chef, he bellowed, to the cooks on the line,
“Move your derrières, make those plates look sublime.”
“I want everything hot, let us make haste,
Move onward you cooks, there’s no time to waste.”
The chef looked about, then said with a shrug,
“To all a good supper and a hearty bah humbug!”

Musical Brunch with Guitarist Jarrett Laskey
Toast the new year us on Sunday, January 7 at 11:00am at our popular Musical Brunch featuring the beautiful sounds of guitarist Jarrett Laskey. Jarrett will be performing his selection of classical and contemporary music during the event. Formally trained and educated, Jarrett creates an elegant ambiance to your afternoon while dining on Chef Jacques’ specially created delectable New Year’s four-course brunch menu, Crémant d’Alsace, house-made Bloody Marys and our delicious hot mulled wine. Bon Appétit and Happy New Year!
Reserve Tickets
Ring in the New Year Wine Festival and Luncheon
Please join Chef Jacques and the team of L’Auberge Chez François to ring in the new year with a Wine Festival and Luncheon on Saturday, January 13th, 2018. Please join us as we sample twelve wines from California, Argentina, Greece, Spain and of course, France. Arrive any time between 11:30 and 1:00pm for a walk-around tasting of wines paired with Chef Jacques’ seasonal canapés. Our sommeliers will be on-hand to guide you through the tasting and answer questions. Afterwards, sit down and enjoy a complete luncheon of your choice from our four-course menu, paired with another glass of wine.
Reserve Tickets
Musique et Cuisine with Lena Seikaly & Steve Herberman
Join us on Friday, January 19 at 7:00pm as we continue our Musique et Cuisine dinner series at L’Auberge Chez François by welcoming back jazz vocalist and area-native, Lena Seikaly, presenting jazz classics by American and French composers. This intimate musical evening will feature music from the swing era to French gypsy jazz – and much in between – with Lena accompanied by internationally acclaimed jazz guitarist, Steve Herberman.
Reserve Tickets
Winter Musical Brunch featuring Musician Shane Gamble
Please join us for our Winter Musical Brunch on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 11:00am as we feature the very talented Shane Gamble with his first performance at L’Auberge Chez François. A Maryland native, Gamble embodies what it means to be a working musician. Shane enjoyed the success of his debut album and the Top 10 single, “Turn My Way,” a pop/country tune that is equal parts punchy and poignant. We look forward to welcoming Shane!
Reserve Tickets
Virginia’s Best Wine Dinner featuring Barboursville Vineyards
Please join us Thursday, January 25th at 6:30pm as we welcome Jason Tesauro, Chief Sommelier at Barboursville Vineyards, for the next in our series of Virginia’s Best wine dinners. Established by the Zonin family of Italy in 1976, Barboursville has been one of pioneers of truly fine wine in Virginia, garnering numerous accolades and awards, and winning the Governor’s Cup several times. Under winemaker Luca Paschina, Barboursville has steadily honed in on the best grape-growing and winemaking practices for Virginia’s soils and climate, producing a wide range of excellent wines, from single varieties of Italian origin to their impressive Bordeaux-style red blend.
Reserve Tickets
Winter in Papa’s Alsace Cooking Demonstration & Luncheon
Please join us on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 11:00am for a lively afternoon cooking demonstration featuring recipes from Papa Haeringer’s beloved Alsace. To start, sip on an Alsatian favorite, Crémant d’Alsace, as Chef Jacques shows you how to prepare the family’s not-so-secret recipes. This afternoon you will enjoy an Alsatian feast of Choucroute Royale Garnie à L’Alsacienne that has been on our menu for over sixty-four years. Another family heirloom, Grandmama Haeringer’s Kougelhopf en Neige recipe was brought to America by Papa Haeringer in a handwritten notebook. We hope to see you for this special event honoring our founder and his Alsatian heritage.
Reserve Tickets
Holiday Gift Guide
No need to go dashing to the store…Chef Jacques has gifts in his sleigh! Visit our online store to find the perfect gift for the food lover in your life. Chocolate truffles, cookbooks, DVDs, stemware, and more! Still can’t decide? A gift certificate can be used for a variety of things – dine at L’Auberge Chez François or Jacques’ Brasserie, special events such as wine dinners or cooking demonstrations, and merchandise. Skip the lines and buy online, before it’s too late!
Online Store
Team Member of the Month
Estaban Murcia has been working at L’Auberge Chez François since September 2005. Over the past twelve years, Esteban has learned almost all aspects of the restaurant. He started working in the kitchen and then became a bus boy. On some days he is a line cook and works the grill station. On other days he is a bus boy, and some days he works both! He is a hard worker and and is always dedicated to providing a helping hand to everyone he can. We congratulate Esteban and thank him for all of his years of service!

Monsieur François Competition
Congratulations to Christie B. of McLean, Virginia for winning the November Monsieur François Profile Embellishment art contest. Christie will receive a $200 gift certificate to L’Auberge Chez François.
Be sure to follow L’Auberge Chez François on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for behind the scenes photos, specials, and more.

Best Culinary Wishes,
Chef Jacques

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L’Auberge Chez François
332 Springvale Rd Great Falls, VA 22066

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