HR0104LRB100 10714 MST 20943 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to
learn of the death of 
4Jean-Claude Poilevey of Oak Park, who
passed away on April 9, 
52016; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey was born in the
Burgundy 
7region of France on February 10, 1945; he began training at 14 
8years old in
a small restaurant near the Jura Mountains, an 
9area close to
Switzerland; in the mid-1960s, after serving as a 
10cook in the French Army, he
moved to London and worked for 
11three years at The
Colony Club and Cafe Royale; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, In 1968, Jean-Claude Poilevey and several other 
13French
chefs working in London, including the late Chef Jean 
14Banchet,
were recruited to work for Hugh Heffner at the Playboy 
15Club in
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey moved to Chicago, and in 
171973, along with a few friends, opened a
restaurant, La 
18Fontaine; in 1988, he
bought out his partners and continued to 
19run the business until
he sold it in 1993; over its 20-year 
20run, many chefs were
trained there, some who went on to open 
21their own successful
restaurants; and
 
 
 
HR0104- 2 -LRB100 10714 MST 20943 r

1    WHEREAS, In 1993, Jean-Claude Poilevey and his wife, 
2Susanne, opened Le Buochon, a small 40-seat bistro in Bucktown; 
3in 1998, they opened another restaurant, La Sardine,  in the 
4West
Loop area of Chicago; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey was a traditionalist
in 
6French cuisine, with a
good-natured tableside manner; he was 
7considered a
unifier in both the French culinary community and 
8the
French expat community in Chicago; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Jean-Claude Poilevey is survived by his wife, 
10Susanne,
and his three sons, Oliver, Nicolas, and Henri; 
11therefore, be it
  
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
13HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
14mourn the passing of Jean-Claude Poilevey, and extend our 
15sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew 
16and loved him; and be it further
  
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
18presented
to the family of Jean-Claude Poilevey as an 
19expression of our
deepest sympathy.