Toronto’s Lucie enters a new era, reimagined as an elevated French bistro with a refined yet approachable take on modern French dining.
By Truc Nguyen | Photography Courtesy of Lucie
Lucie is entering a new era. This spring, with executive chef Arnaud Bloquel returning to France for personal reasons, founder and co-owner Yannick Bigourdan saw an opportunity not only to preserve the restaurant’s French roots but to reimagine its identity altogether. “A very natural fit came right away to mind, where my business partner Mike would take over and carry on the legacy and tradition of beautiful French cuisine, but it was also an opportunity to update the concept, the offering, and bring it into the world of today,” he says. “We took that opportunity and said, ‘Well, let’s jump on it, let’s embrace it, and let’s have fun.’ ”
Originally opened in 2023 in Toronto’s Financial District and named after Bigourdan’s grandmother, the restaurant quickly earned acclaim—and Michelin recommendations—for Bloquel’s boundary-pushing, tasting-menu-only approach to modern French cuisine.
Bigourdan and his longtime business partner, seasoned chef Michael Angeloni, first met at Splendido almost two decades ago and already work together on three other buzzy Toronto restaurants: The Berczy Tavern, Notte Ristorante, and Pasta Privato. “We have restaurants where I’m cooking Italian food and other things, but now it’s my chance to cook French food, which is Yannick’s background culturally, and my culinary background,” says Angeloni. “It’s very exciting for me to show him—and show the city—what I can do.”
“Offerings such as Prince Edward Island mussels and Argentinian shrimp are each served with their own garnishes, and the selection of seafood will change often.”
Reimagined as an elevated French bistro, Lucie now offers a more approachable, yet still luxurious, dining experience. While the restaurant continues to offer a five-course, seasonal chef’s tasting menu, the main focus is its new à la carte menu, developed by Angeloni. “I love to play with traditional dishes and ingredients and then frame them in a new way, especially being in Toronto and how multicultural we are,” he explains. “On our menu, there’s kombu and dashi and things like that that we’re going to be introducing in a thoughtful way.”
At the same time, classical cooking techniques, traditional sauces, and local ingredients remain front and centre at Lucie. The restaurant’s signature pithivier—the classic French pie—isn’t going anywhere, either, although Angeloni has made the dish his own. Similarly, there is a beef bourguignon on the new menu, but the classic French stew is creatively presented and made with such luxurious cuts as beef cheek and short rib. “I’m excited about the style of cooking that Mike is bringing,” says Bigourdan. “He is a very generous chef who loves bold flavours.”
“I love to play with traditional dishes and ingredients and then frame them in a new way, especially being in Toronto and how multicultural we are.”
As a nod to his own background, Angeloni has also introduced a pasta dish to the menu—but this tagliatelle is done “in a very French way,” with “lots of butter, champagne, and caviar,” he notes.
Alongside the new menu, Lucie is now open for lunch, and a lively new raw bar invites guests to enjoy a glass of wine, oysters, and fresh seafood. Offerings such as Prince Edward Island mussels and Argentinian shrimp are each served with their own garnishes, and the selection of seafood will change often. “It’s really going to be a nice focus at the bar,” says Bigourdan.
In this new chapter, Lucie is more dynamic and accessible, while retaining its culture and ethos. “I think our guests are going to be very impressed and very excited about the new offering,” says Bigourdan. “It’s going to allow them to come a little bit more often and enjoy the bar—and lunch.”
Related posts
