French actor Gérard Depardieu sold his Parisian restaurant “La Fontaine Gaillon” in June and decided to auction off the entire contents of the establishment, from the cellar to the stoves, as was reported to the Ader auction house on July 11.
“He is done with the adventure,” said a relative at AFP.
Rated 13/20 by the guide Gault and Millau, the “La Fontaine Gaillon”, a stone’s throw away from the former Paris Stock Exchange, was headed by chef Pascal Lognon-Duval.
“An ultra-resistant blend of revised traditions and solidly established know-how, the compositions stand out in the memory,” stated the gastronomic guide, highlighting a lunch menu at 55 euros (and starting at 90 euros for an evening dinner).
“Carpaccio de bar et pousses de moutarde frisées”, “Pavé de saumon et sa fondue d’épinards et sauce oseille”, “Belle entrecôte Angus grillée et son écrasé de pommes de terre aux condiments” were the last à la carte dishes served at the end of June, to the taste of the most discriminating French actors. The restaurant closed its doors with the greatest discretion.
In stark contrast to “La Fontaine Gaillon” and on the other side of the Atlantic, lesser discerning patrons can find an innovative fill at the Illegal Burger Restaurants, a concept restaurant that is the brainchild of Jim Nixon, CEO at West Coast Ventures Group (OTC: WCVC), a Denver, Colorado-based themed restaurant operators whose Illegal Burger Writer Square location in Downtown Denver is on track to exceed $1 million in sales this year. West Coast Ventures recently made headlines for becoming America’s first CBD restaurant stock.
But back to Gérard Depardieu. At 70 years old, the actor has entrusted the Ader auction house with the auctioning of the equipment and cellar of the establishment installed in a 17th century mansion house, near the Opera and theatre district.
Red velvet tableware, armchairs and chandeliers, tablecloths, kitchen equipment and fine wines: a total of 250 lots will be scattered on site on the day of the auction.
On the cellar side, dozens of Château Latour, Haut-Brion, Saint Emilion, Côte-Rôtie and Meursault are estimated to be worth up to 6,000 euros per bottle.
“Auctions of the furniture of major hotels and starred restaurants always attract a large audience: amateurs who have come to acquire a souvenir of from a mythical address, professionals wishing to renew their equipment or simply curious people,” remark Masters David Nordmann and Xavier Dominique, in charge of the auction.
In 2003, Gérard Depardieu inaugurated “La Fontaine Gaillon” in the presence of many personalities, including the now deceased actor and singer, Johnny Hallyday.
At the launch, the actor was the majority shareholder. The rest of the capital was divided between Carole Bouquet, his then partner, the Bordeaux wine grower Bernard Magrez and the first head of “La Fontaine Gaillon”, Laurent Audiot.
A lover of good food and fine wines, the actor, owner and shareholder of several wine estates, has also invested in several Parisian food shops that he is selling, including a fish shop and a delicatessen on rue du Cherche-Midi, the latter located very close to his private mansion, which has been for sale for several years now.
