A Fresh Taste of France

Long before the advent of molecular gastronomy, sous vide or foams, spheres and gels, there was Auguste Escoffier’s culinary bible of haute cuisine, "Le Guide Culinaire." A groundbreaking masterpiece first published in 1903, the book became the standard-bearer for discerning chefs everywhere, elevating cooking to an art form and prizing flavor and freshness above all else. 

Lately, there has been a quiet resurgence of French cuisine with chefs returning to the long-established dishes Escoffier made famous. Bistros, brasseries and state-of-the-art restaurants are popping up around the globe, serving robust, market-driven and perfectly executed dishes packed with intense flavor. 

Stephane Becht is one such chef. Trained in the rudimentary disciplines Escoffier espoused, Becht honed his skills in top-notch restaurants, resorts, cruise lines and luxury hotels on three continents, learning the mastery of many cuisines along the way. But when he opened his own business, Bistro Fourchette, in downtown Vero Beach in 2015, he decided to bring his career full circle. “It was very important to me to come back to my roots,” Becht. says “Not only do I serve dishes from Alsace where I am from but dishes from all over France.” 

Becht and his wife, Loretta, had long dreamed of working together. When they heard that the Melody Inn was on the market, they deemed it the perfect opportunity to open a cozy French bistro. “We came in and thought it would work for us,” Loretta says. “We made a business plan and that kind of guided us and gave us a vision.”