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10/19/2022 08:30 AMExcited customers are already making reservations to dine at Ôtoulouse, Branford’s new French restaurant co-owned by Rachelle Chaput and her husband, chef Christophe Santos.
Their new bistro at 2 East Main Street is readying for its soft-opening dates of Tuesday, Oct. 25 through Thursday, Oct. 27, followed by the grand opening on Friday, Oct. 28. The restaurant’s operating hours are set for 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (closed Sunday and Monday).
Rachelle, who runs the front of house, says this will be a place of “food, laughter, and love,” where everyone can relax and enjoy. In other words, there’s no reason to feel intimidated when entering this French restaurant.
“I’ll be functioning as the host; I’ll be making sure that everybody’s happy,” says Rachelle. “If people want to be loud or laugh, it’s fine. When you come here, when you step inside, you step into a bubble where you can just be you.”
The restaurant’s minimalist décor and discreet servers are intended to provide the perfect setting to amplify an atmosphere where guests can focus on each other and the food.
“Really the only thing that will be very present, and loud in a way, will be the food in the plate and the people,” says Rachelle. “We want people to be happy here. We want to create happiness.”
Ôtoulouse, which can seat 90, invites diners to sink into leather banquette seating, select a spot at the high-top community table, or gather in the cozy events room. Rachelle has also lightened up the interior of the space, formerly home to G-Zen Restaurant, which closed in April 2022.
Ôtoulouse will offer friendly, comfortable, and competent service to complement the remarkable work of Christophe. Inspired by both of his grandmothers’ as well as his mother’s cooking, Christophe was 16 when he started cooking at restaurants near his hometown of Villemur sur Tarn near Toulouse, France. He went on to perfect his skills with Michelin starred chefs Jacques Chibois, Alain Ducasse, and Johan Leclerre. He came to America in 2004 to work at east coast restaurants including New Haven’s Union League Café. He also worked on the west coast, taking a chef position in San Diego, CA in 2014. In 2016, Christophe returned to the east coast, joining Jean-Pierre Vuillermet at Madison’s Bar Bouchée, where Christophe became chef de cuisine/general manager beginning in January 2017. His work continued garnering top ratings and reviews until he left Bar Bouchée in April of this year to begin his new Branford venture.
Rachelle arrived in America in 1999, where she became involved in restaurant hosting. The couple met while both were working at La Voile in Boston; then went on to work together at a popular Franco-Japanese fusion cuisine restaurant in Lincoln, Massachusetts. There, Rachelle honed her ability managing and selecting wines, including sake, to complement her husband’s meals.
“I had to choose the wine, [and] deal with the pricing, and that’s when I really dipped my toes into that part of the business; and it was like a seed grew inside of me. I trusted his food – and then, because I absolutely taste every single wine I choose to have on the list -- depending on what people were craving, or how they felt that day, I could introduce them to a wine that I thought could be a super good friend to them at that moment. What I loved was that you could create an insane experience for those people. And because I really enjoy being kind, there’s nothing better than knowing you kind of participated in creating a little happiness in people,” says Rachelle.
She’s looking forward to making many more wine introductions to guests of Ôtoulouse.
Coming to Branford
While the couple briefly moved back to France in 2010, they returned to America within four years due to Christophe’s west coast career opportunity. Back on the east coast by 2016, they became fans of Branford since the first time they visited friends living in Granite Bay, where they found their own home in March of 2021.
Rachelle says she long held the dream of opening their own restaurant.
“I’ve always wanted to open a restaurant with my husband because I know his food and I know it’s wonderful food; it’s true food, and he puts his heart into it.”
One day earlier this year, “... he said he was ready,” says Rachelle. “Then, someone told us about here. And then when we stepped in...the vibe! I love long lines like this, with banquettes on both sides—because that’s very the type of bistro you find in Paris or Lyon. And the community table – some people really love it. So, something happened. The chef’s mom was here on vacation, and the three of us just had the same reaction.”
To operate a restaurant that will enhance the town where they live “...means a lot to us,” Rachelle adds.
With only social media and word of mouth to spread the news until now, Rachelle has been busy fielding requests and online comments from the moment Ôtoulouse launched its website otoulousebranford.com. The restaurant also has Facebook and Instagram pages.
Everyone seems to be just as excited as she and Christophe feel about their new venture, she says.
“They are always ‘Oh my god we’re so happy, we’re so excited, we’re so thrilled!’”
Since May, the couple has been busy transforming the Branford restaurant space. In the kitchen, Christophe will have a sous chef and other staff by his side. As noted at the restaurant website, his “... mission is and always will be to provide the best food and service that reflects the joy and passion he has for cooking. He and his team share the same care and enthusiasm for cooking the best of what is in season with the spirit of traditional French cuisine.”
Among his many offerings, Christophe crafts his own foie gras. Rachelle says it’s a favorite of another very accomplished French chef, Jacques Pepin, a Madison resident.
“My husband makes his foie gras from a recipe that no one knows except his mom, and I know Jaques loves his foie gras,” says Rachelle.
Christophe said his menu’s Salade “Ôtoulouse” includes his foie gras, together with other traditional ingredients of duck leg confit and smoked duck breast.
He describes the food he’s creating for Ôtoulouse as “rustic.”
“It’s going to be very simplistic and authentic French – good for the heart and soul,” says Christophe.
For more information or to make a reservation, call Ôtoulouse at (203) 208-4285, email otoulouse.branford@gmail.com visit otoulousebranford.com or stop by during business hours at 2 East Main Street, Branford.