SR2373LRB099 21501 MST 49873 r


  
1
SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to

3learn of the death of Jean-Claude Poilevey of Oak Park, who

4passed away on April 9, 2016; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey was born in the
Burgundy 
6region of France on February 10, 1945; he began training at 14 
7years old in
a small restaurant near the Jura Mountains, an 
8area close to
Switzerland; in the mid-1960s, after serving as a 
9cook in the French Army, he
moved to London and worked for 
10three years at The
Colony Club and Cafe Royale; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, In 1968, Jean-Claude Poilevey and several other 
12French
chefs working in London, including the late Chef Jean 
13Banchet,
were recruited to work for Hugh Heffner at the Playboy 
14Club in
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey moved to Chicago, and in 
161973, along with a few friends, opened a
restaurant, La 
17Fontaine; in 1988, he
bought out his partners and continued to 
18run the business until
he sold it in 1993; over its 20-year 
19run, many chefs were
trained there, some who went on to open 
20their own successful
restaurants; and
 
21    WHEREAS, In 1993, Jean-Claude Poilevey and his wife, 
 
 
SR2373- 2 -LRB099 21501 MST 49873 r

1Susanne, opened Le Buochon, a small 40-seat bistro in Bucktown; 
2in 1998, they opened another restaurant, La Sardine,  in the 
3West
Loop area of Chicago; and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey was a traditionalist
in 
5French cuisine, with a
good-natured tableside manner; he was 
6considered a
unifier in both the French culinary community and 
7the
French expat community in Chicago; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey is survived by his wife, 
9Susanne,
and his three sons, Oliver, Nicolas, and Henri; 
10therefore, be it
  
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL 
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of

13Jean-Claude Poilevey, and extend our sincere condolences to his

14family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it 
15further
  
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
17presented
to the family of Jean-Claude Poilevey as an 
18expression of our
deepest sympathy.