The NYC Restaurant That Kickstarted Anthony Bourdain's Career

In his best-selling memoir, "Kitchen Confidential," Anthony Bourdain pulled back the curtain on the restaurant business, which, in 2000, was apparently as stressful as what's depicted on "The Bear." Bourdain was working as executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles, a popular Manhattan French bistro, when the book was released. "Kitchen Confidential" wasn't an exposé of Les Halles but more a barbed critique of restaurant culture and the physical and mental suffering it caused his non-American kitchen workers. The book elevated Bourdain to stardom and also made Les Halles the hottest restaurant in town. Bourdain and Les Halles are inextricably linked, but the bistro was already a success before he began working there in 1998. 

When Brasserie Les Halles opened its doors in 1990, business partners Jose de Meirelles, Philippe Lajaunie, and chef Jean-Michel Diot owned a handful of high-end restaurants. Inspired by the 19th-century Parisian marketplace, Les Halles, the three restauranteurs envisioned a meat-centric bistro with its own butcher shop. At the time, the trend in dining was towards mostly low-fat fare, so they were unsure if steak tartare and roasted bone marrow would appeal to health-conscious New Yorkers. To their delight, Brasserie Les Halles was swarmed by diners craving French bistro food. Eight years after opening, Lajaunie needed an executive chef, and Bourdain applied for the position. When dining at Les Halles with his wife for the first time, Bourdain was impressed by the bistro's authenticity. Lajaunie saw how much Bourdain was enjoying his meal and knew he was perfect for the job.

The success of "Kitchen Confidential" allowed Bourdain to pursue his writing and television careers, and he left Brasserie Les Halles soon after the book's publication. But as Les Halles' "Chef-At-Large," he maintained his relationship with Lajaunie and the bistro until it closed 16 years later. Bourdain returned to Les Halles in 2008 with close friend chef Eric Ripert to work a double-shift and film an episode of "No Reservations," and he found the kitchen work challenging, noting that "it's a young-person's game."  

Les Halles lasted for almost 25 years, but after Lajaunie lost several legal battles, the restaurant closed in 2016. Bourdain committed suicide two years later, and Les Halles remained shuttered until 2021 when it briefly reopened to celebrate the release of the documentary "Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain."  For three nights, July 9-11, 2021, the Les Halles pop-up served a prix fixe dinner curated by Lajaunie and de Meirelles that honored Bourdain's signature dishes, such as French onion soup and steak frites au poivre. 

After Les Halles closed in 2016, Francis Staub, founder of Staub cookware, purchased the bistro with hopes of reopening, which was subsequently delayed by the pandemic. Remodeled and rechristened La Brasserie, Staub finally opened the new restaurant in 2022. Ever mindful of Bourdain's influence and entrenched presence, Staub's menu featured a number of Bourdain's iconic recipes. Unfortunately, much like Brasserie Les Halles, La Brasserie has also closed its doors.