About Le Pichet
Le Pichet and Café Presse owners Jim Drohman and Joanne Herron have both long been charmed by the food, wine and lifestyle of France. Jim left a career as an Aeronautical Engineer to train in the cuisine at l’Ecole Superior de Cuisine Francais Jean Ferrandi in Paris. During his stay in France, he worked at several restaurants, including Le Boudin Sauvage and the Michelin rated Le Coq de la Maison Blanche. In 1991, he returned to Seattle and was chef at both Campagne and Café Campagne.
Joanne has worked in the service industry since 1988, including over 12 years at Market Place Caterers/The RUINS. Her interest in France began with her first visit to the French countryside at age 19 and has grown through many professional and personal visits. She has spent extensive time touring the wine producing regions of France, learning firsthand from winemakers and importers and has participated in the “vendage” or harvest of grapes in the Loire Valley.
Jim and Joanne opened Le Pichet in 2000 with the hope of recreating the personal, neighborhood style of restaurant they had come to love in France. Located in Seattle's Pike Place Market Historical District, Le Pichet is a 32 seat restaurant specializing in the regional cuisine and wine of France. The name "Le Pichet" means "The Pitcher", which is the ceramic vessel in which simple, traditional neighborhood restaurants in France serve wine.
After nearly 10 years, Le Pichet continues to serve the Pike Place Market neighborhood under their direction and the supervision of Le Pichet Chef de Cuisine Brent Harding and Dining Room Manager Sophie Guerrero. Brent graduated from the New England Culinary Institute and spent time in the kitchen of the Everest Hotel in Chicago under renowned Chef Jean Joho. He worked under Chef Drohman at Café Campagne in Seattle, and has been at Le Pichet for since 2003. Sophie, who is from Angers, France, graduated from the Centre de Formation Professionel in Angers. She worked at the Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley before joining Le Pichet on opening day in August 2000.
In 2007, Jim and Joanne opened their second restaurant, Café Presse, located on south Capitol Hill. For more information about Café Presse, please visit our website at cafepresseseattle.com.
What others say about Le Pichet
"Best French Restaurant" — Seattle Weekly, 2009
"Restaurants That Stand the Test of Time" — Seattle Magazine, 2009
"Top 100 Restaurants" — Seattle Weekly, 2008
"Best Restaurants" — Seattle Magazine, 2008
"Reader's Choice: Best French Restaurants" — Seattle Magazine, 2007
