Rover’s
It’s time
 Time has a way of slipping by. You’re standing in the kitchen cooking
and the next thing you know, it’s 21 years later. How did Rover’s become
such a success? As with all true stories, there’s a fascinating tale
behind Thierry Rautureau, The Chef in The Hat!!!, and Rover’s of today.
Photo: Thierry, The Chef in the Hat!!!
On a farm in the Muscadet region of France, Thierry learned seasonal
ingredients as he and his mother cooked for family. After graduation at
14, more schooling didn’t appeal. The family was poor and Thierry wanted
a job. His mother suggested cooking—when you cook, you’ll have a roof
over your head and a meal. Very practical. "She failed to mention how
little money was involved," recalls Thierry with a smile.
A two-year apprenticeship in Anjou led him to Le Mont Saint Michel in
Normandy, Chamonix in the Alps and Hendaye in Basque country. Seeing an
ad for cooks in the U.S., he decided to go for six months. It was 1978
and Chicago: he stayed 3-1/2 years at La Fontaine. While there, he
started a lifelong friendship with Cyril Frechier and eventually they
moved to Los Angeles. Thierry worked at the Regency Club and then The
Seven Street Bistro, where he stayed for nearly four years.
Here he met his future wife, Kathy. "I thought she was out of my
league, so I didn’t ask her out. Eventually, her friend came into town
whose husband was French and Kathy thought I would be able to converse
with him, so she asked me out. Not wanting to lose the opportunity, I
took out my lasso and brought her home!" They married after dating three
years.
Cyril moved to Seattle and Thierry and Kathy visited. They went to
dinner at a place called Rover’s in Madison Valley that, as things turn
out, was for sale. With another couple, they bought it. Cyril became the
wine director. "And then we said ‘oops’—it was the wrong location, the
wrong timing, the wrong name. Now I say you must know your business
before buying. No one would go through this if they knew what was
coming," says Thierry.
Photo: Rover's exterior
"People wouldn’t come into the neighborhood," he recalls. "We were
broke the first day we opened. There were nights when not one person
would show up." After three years, Thierry bought out the partnership.
"I had faith in my vision. It was hard to put on paper or explain and my
partner didn’t know the restaurant business. We were going different
ways," Thierry explains. "We’re still friends and they now own one of
the best restaurants in LA. We always visit when we’re there."
Success for Rover’s came from outside Seattle. National food writers
came and wrote up the amazing food. Awards were won; out-of-towners
loved it. "Seattle had to accept that we knew what we were doing. Over
20 years, we’ve worked our success one person at a time," says Thierry.
In the early days, 70% of guests were from out of town. About four years
ago, it became 70% from Seattle. Thierry works at getting Rover’s in
front of people. He does a radio show with Tom Douglas and is part of
many fundraisers. "It’s amazing how many people say they’ve been meaning
to come in for 20 years. We’ve just had our best year."
Rover’s has a reputation for high prices, but part of this is media
hype. "Certainly you can spend money here," says Thierry. "But you spend
the same amount at a number of steakhouses in town." The Grand Menu
Dègustation can put a dent in your pocket, but you’re also savoring
eight courses. There are three multi-course dègustation menus to choose
from (with or without wine), plus an à la carte menu. All are adjusted
daily. The à la carte dishes give an opportunity to try a variety of
smaller tastes without breaking the bank.
Another wonderful option is Friday lunch. "My concept is that people
don’t get that much done on Friday afternoon at work," explains Thierry.
"So go to work at 6 a.m. and leave by 1 p.m. Come to Rover’s and have a
3-4 course lunch with your spouse or a friend and make the weekend last
longer. It’s not a power lunch; it’s about relaxing."
Rover’s real reputation is about fresh, local ingredients used in
incredible ways. "The first food writer who ever came in wanted to put a
name to our food and came up with ‘Northwest contemporary with a French
accent’ and we still use it," he says. In 2005 his cookbook, with
Cynthia Nims, was published. "It was a great experience. Cynthia came
into the kitchen and typed everything I said while I cooked. She’d take
the notes home and recreate the dishes in her home kitchen to ensure
that the home cook could reproduce them. It was a lot of work, but very
cool. It took 14-15 months for the whole process because the book is the
way I cook—seasonal."
 One
of the biggest changes was when Cyril left after so many years. "For the
past ten years, he’s talked about being an importer of wine. He’s now
the sommelier at Campagne and we hired Scot Smith as our wine director
and he’s doing a great job." They are still close friends.
Photo: Rover's wine director Scot Smith
"I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. This is the best place in the
country to cook," says Thierry. "There’s so much local gathering and
wild and sustainable agriculture. There are a few staples at Rover’s
that don’t come from here, like foie gras and truffles, but other than
those, so much is available here. Having my own place has felt like I
discovered my blood flow in terms of artistic creativity. I can’t do it
for someone else because I don’t want to compromise."
Thierry finds the bar has been raised because customers are more
knowledgeable. "Seattle restaurants are all looking to do great food,
that’s what’s so good about it. We don’t really compete; our priority is
on the food. It’s very encouraging." Don’t let another year, or twenty,
slip by without making time for Rover’s.
Connie Adams/April 2008 |
