La Ferme Restaurant

 Press Release
               
 
 
 
Chevy Chase, MD's "La Ferme" Restaurant Names New
General Manager
 
Guillaume de Decker, formerly of Roche Bobois Paris, joins La Ferme Restaurant
                
Chevy Chase, MD- January 5, 2016 - La Ferme Restaurant owner Alain Roussel announced the addition of Guillaume de Decker as the General Manager of the iconic local restaurant. After thirty years of continuous operation, the addition of Provence, France native de Decker will allow Roussel to both follow his passion for travel, as well as bring new ideas to the restaurant.                     
De Decker's first interaction with the restaurant came in 1997, where upon moving to the US with his Chevy Chase, MD born wife and two children, he first worked at La Ferme to both improve his English language skills as well as make a "few bucks" while looking for a "real job". The real job came after six months when de Decker moved to the high end French furniture studio Roche Bobois Paris of Chevy Chase initially as a sales manager, and was soon promoted to the store's General Manager. Roussel and de Decker remained in contact over the years, and eventually de Decker acted as Roussel's interior designer with Roche Bobois and real estate agent with Stuart and Maury Realtors. They are now neighbors in Chevy Chase and both have a strong connection with the area.
 
De Decker speaks fondly of the restaurant: "La Ferme had been one of the most pleasant work experiences in my life. I love the environment, the hard work, the camaraderie, the challenges and the pleasure of hosting people to give them a good time. The dedication and passion of Roussel for his 'baby' is rarely seen in the business world, and makes him a very special person to work for."
 
Growing up in Orange, Provence on his family farm where his parents still live and farm, de Decker loved working in the fields of tomatoes, asparagus, seed corn, sunflowers and eventually kiwis, and still returns home in the fall to help with the annual harvest. "In my opinion, farming is the most respectable occupation on Earth, second only to cooking and the art of transforming produce into delectable dishes for others to enjoy."
Fresh from graduating from business school in Strasbourg, meeting and marrying his American born wife, de Decker worked for Fortune 500 companies Dannon Company and Hewlett-Packard France. Deciding to leave the corporate world, changing his career path by going back to study interior decorating and upholstery, he started a small design business in Provence. After 5 years, de Decker and family, including their two young boys moved to the US.

A longtime member of the French American Chamber of Commerce, and American Contract Bridge League, de Decker continues to love French Bistro food, wines from the Cotes du Rhone including Châteauneuf du Pape (his favorite is Château de Beaucastel), and his Grandmother's recipe for "gratin dauphinoise", a traditional regional French dish based on potatoes and crème fraîche, from the historic Dauphiné region in south-east France.

Plans for La Ferme include celebrating the thirty year anniversary, as well as the addition of a new bar area, "Cognac", coming in the spring of 2016. In addition to offering hand crafted cocktails, an array of wines by the bottle or glass, new additions to the menu include a special "Cognac" bar menu featuring "small plates", and charcuterie selections.

La Ferme Restaurant, located at 7101 Brookville Road, Chevy Chase, MD adjacent to the Martin's Addition neighborhoods, has been serving fine French cuisine in an elegant country-farmhouse décor, complete with a large wood burning fire place, outdoor seasonal porch seating, live piano music and ample on-site parking. La Ferme will once again be participating in the Montgomery County Restaurant Week, scheduled for Jan. 22-31, 2016. 

Now a neighborhood favorite, La Ferme, started by owner Alain Roussel, Maryland's only classically trained and certified Master French Chef, serves lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. Famous for their traditional cuisine, La Ferme's menu includes such popular items as Coquille Staint Jacques, Steak au Poivre, Moules Marinière and their famous piping hot souffles including Grand Marnier, Chocolate and Hazelnut flavors. La Ferme has been named "The Most Romantic" restaurant by Bethesda Magazine.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Marjorie Lane at 301-340-1700, mobile 301213-9421 or email at [email protected].