Notable chefs Folse and Tramonto to open restaurant in New OrleansNotable chefs Folse and Tramonto to open restaurant in New Orleans

Ron Ruggless

Chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto have formed a restaurant development company, with the first joint venture being Restaurant R’evolution, which is expected to open next year in New Orleans.

Louisiana chef Folse and Chicago chef Tramonto, whose new company is called Home on the Range: Folse Tramonto Restaurant Development LLC, plan to open the “contemporary Creole cuisine” R’evolution in the French Quarter’s Royal Sonesta Hotel. They will be looking at other opportunities as well.

Earlier this summer, Tramonto left Tru, the fine dining restaurant owned by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. Tramonto, who opened Tru in Chicago in 1999, said he’s long been a fan of the New Orleans food scene. Now he’ll divide his time between the two cities, he said.

“I am eager to spend more time in New Orleans and become a part of the community through this venture with my friend Chef Folse,” Tramonto said. “New Orleans has long been recognized as a gastronomic paradise and is celebrated the world over for its unique cuisine – I’m excited to be a part of its future.”

The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner with 197 seats in the dining room and 40 in the bar, as well as three private dining rooms, a 12-seat wine room, an exposition kitchen with 10 seats and a chef’s table for another 12.

Folse, who operates a number of boutique retail food brands through his company, Chef John Folse & Co. in Gonzales, La., added that, “Restaurant R’evolution will serve to introduce an exciting contemporary Creole cuisine, created by Rick and me, to push the boundaries and expectations of dining in Louisiana.” He also owns and operates Lafitte’s Landing Restaurant at Bittersweet Plantation in Donaldsonville, La.

The new restaurant is being designed by The Johnson Studio of Atlanta, which designed Tru as well as other high-profile restaurants. Bill Johnson, an architect with the firm, said, “We look forward to creating a space with the grace and style that abounds in the heritage, but with a decidedly current vibe that is representative of the dynamic cosmopolitan city that, today, is New Orleans.”

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].