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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of
4Jean-Claude Poilevey of Oak Park, who passed away on April 9,
52016; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey was born in the Burgundy
7region of France on February 10, 1945; he began training at 14
8years old in a small restaurant near the Jura Mountains, an
9area close to Switzerland; in the mid-1960s, after serving as a
10cook in the French Army, he moved to London and worked for
11three years at The Colony Club and Cafe Royale; and
 
12    WHEREAS, In 1968, Jean-Claude Poilevey and several other
13French chefs working in London, including the late Chef Jean
14Banchet, were recruited to work for Hugh Heffner at the Playboy
15Club in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey moved to Chicago, and in
171973, along with a few friends, opened a restaurant, La
18Fontaine; in 1988, he bought out his partners and continued to
19run the business until he sold it in 1993; over its 20-year
20run, many chefs were trained there, some who went on to open
21their own successful restaurants; and
 

 

 

HR0104- 2 -LRB100 10714 MST 20943 r

1    WHEREAS, In 1993, Jean-Claude Poilevey and his wife,
2Susanne, opened Le Buochon, a small 40-seat bistro in Bucktown;
3in 1998, they opened another restaurant, La Sardine, in the
4West Loop area of Chicago; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey was a traditionalist in
6French cuisine, with a good-natured tableside manner; he was
7considered a unifier in both the French culinary community and
8the French expat community in Chicago; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey is survived by his wife,
10Susanne, and his three sons, Oliver, Nicolas, and Henri;
11therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
14mourn the passing of Jean-Claude Poilevey, and extend our
15sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew
16and loved him; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Jean-Claude Poilevey as an
19expression of our deepest sympathy.