D

Live Blog Feed

Chef François Fotre, R.I.P.

Posted on July 3rd, 2009 10:19am by Nancy Nichols
Filed under Food On TV, Openings, Uncategorized

Chef François Fotre passed away on Tuesday June 30th from heart complications. He is survived by his wife Catherine, 15-year old son Antoine, and 14-year old daughter, Julia. Catherine and François, classically trained chefs, founded La Mirabelle in 1997. In March, 2007, François was involved a serious motorcycle accident and spent months recovering in Parkland Hospital. At the time, Fotre was the chef at the Catalina Room on Lemmon.

Here is the official information from the family:

There will be a visitation Sunday, July 5th from 7 to 9 pm at Turrentine Jackson & Morrow (2525 Central Expressway. Allen, TX 75013. 972-542-2601) Funeral mass will take place Monday, July 6 at 10:00 am at Holy Cross Catholic Church (7000 Morningstar
The Colony, TX 75056. 972-625-5252.

Services will be followed by a reception at the church. If you like to participate in the preparation of the reception, please call 214-217-2818.

If you attend and are a chef, please wear your “chef’s best” to honor François and to reaffirm our commitment and friendship to the great profession that we have chosen.

Please keep Catherine, Antoine and Julia in your prayers.

19 Comments to “Chef François Fotre, R.I.P.”

Rene' @ July 3rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm

I am sad to hear of your loss. I hope Francois did not suffer too much prior to leaving you. Please accept my condolences. I am out of town for the July 4th holiday and will not be back soon enough to attend services. I hope the passing of time will help lessen your and your children’s sorrow. I will keep you in my thoughts with positive energy. Please contact me if there is anything I can do for you.

Rene’ Peeters
214 720 0323
Grand Kempinski executive chef 1989-93
Watel’s owner since 1993
TONY GARDIZI @ July 3rd, 2009 at 1:43 pm

iam vary sad for your loss. FRANCOIS was one of the best chefs in dallas.i would like to send my condolences to you and your family.plz if i can help w anything just let me know

tony gardizi
972-757-0208
executive chef devine cellars
Ellen Hartline @ July 3rd, 2009 at 5:11 pm

I had my best meals in Dallas at the hands of Francois and Catherine. The best buffalo steak you’ve ever eaten. He will be missed. There has been a trust established at Wacovia Bank. Anyone who would like to donate “in lieu of flowers” can contact their local Wacovia branch and give them Catherine’s name.
s @ July 4th, 2009 at 9:19 am

Those scallops which are now off the menu at the Catalina Room were the BOMB!! My condolences.
Lee & Pat Cary @ July 4th, 2009 at 11:39 am

Franscois was great host, a wonderful father and a fine neighbor, too. His Little Elm neighbors mourn his death.
Robert and Jill Baker @ July 4th, 2009 at 9:03 pm

Francois and Catherine have been our very dear friends for 10 years. The time we spent with them was priceless. Francois was always coming to our home to visit, and those are fast becoming some of our very best memories. We were privilaged to go to New York with him in 2002 for the French Chef’s Annual Picnic, and seeing NYC thru his eyes was totally amazing. We had the best meal of our life with him at this friend’s restaurant. Robert and I love to cook, and Francois would always, in his own style, tell us exactly what we were doing wrong and then show us the right way. We wouldn’t trade one single minute of the time we spent together. In fact, the night before he went to the hospital, he was here for almost 3 hours and we had the best visit of our life together. We miss him so very much already. Praise God he lives on in Catherine, Antoine and Julia, and is very alive in our precious memories. He will be missed beyond measure. Those of us who had the honor and pleasure of knowing him are realizing he changed our lives forever in a very positive way.
Kay Parker @ July 4th, 2009 at 10:16 pm

Francois was one of a kind. An incredibly talented chef who freely gave of his time and expertise, he was an aclaimed and highly recognized French chef who had become a down-home Texan by choice. He and his wife, Catherine, also a classicly trained chef, richly blessed my family with many a fabulous meal. Holiday meals with them were unbelievable! I had open heart surgery a few years ago, and Francois and Catherine cooked and hand-delivered gourmet meals to me for 3 weeks while I recovered. (I could have managed by myself but kept my mouth shut!) I’ve been blessed beyond measure with Francois’ friendship and will cherish always the great memories of him. Catherine, my prayers are with you, Antoine, and Julia at this time. I can’t even imagine your loss.
Lisa Knight @ July 5th, 2009 at 12:02 am

Dear Catherine and children,

It is an honor to know you and Francois. Our adult fellowship prayed for you all as Francois recovered (miraculously from his accident. Now we hold you in our prayers again.
Our new daughter-in-law, our son, and I were seated by your Francois at our last Christmas party. Learning of his life in the French Underground and other stories of his his accomplishments kept us mesmerized.

With love,

Lisa
Jimmy & Carol Bishop @ July 5th, 2009 at 12:21 am

We have never before, and know that we will never again meet such a man! What a fabulous way of showing his friendship for you he possessed… We feel it such an honor to have been able to share time and thoughts with such a talented as well as unique individual. He prepared the most elegant and beyond delicious “60th Birthday Dinner” for Jimmy amd 30 of our closest friends…
Queen Elizabeth would have been impressed!
We will surely miss our good friend. We know that Heaven is just a little brighter
with the addition of the now “Master Chef to the Angels”… We love you, Francois…
Barbara & Ken Richards @ July 5th, 2009 at 12:45 pm

Francois and Catherine provided a wonderful Christmas dinner 2007 for us and many friends. All enjoyed his many stories of his life’s events in France and truly our hearts are broken that these visits will not be possible in the coming days. Just days before Francois and Julia were out riding and stopped to visit with us. We never would have thought that this would be the last time we had this wonderful opportunity which speaks mountains –Enjoy each moment with your friends as that could be the last time.
Chef Richard Chamberlain @ July 5th, 2009 at 5:10 pm

Dear Catherine and Children, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. We lived in the subdivision next to your La Mirabelle and enjoyed wonderful food and service. I will always remember Francios with the passion he shared as a chef and restaurantuer. Our prayers are with you.
Marvin and Marian Hines @ July 6th, 2009 at 8:48 am

We will never forget dinning together with and sharing plates of mussels and drinking wine with François. He gifted us with good food, friendship, and beautifully articulated reminiscences–stories of his early career as an apprentice tending the wood stoves of a storied restaurant, and, his service to France in the Legion d’Etranger.
Bon voyage my friend.
Marian and I will keep you and your family forever in our thoughts.
snootyfoodie @ July 6th, 2009 at 10:18 am

We got introduced to Francois through a mutual friend when he ran Cafe C’s in Little Elm years ago. We drove out there several times for dinner (and that’s a haul for us) b/c the food and company were so great. Foie gras in Little Elm – what a trailblazer!! He even called the French Laundry for us one night to get us a reservation (he was one of Thomas Keller’s instructors in culinary school). Great guy and great chef that will be sorely missed.
John & Debbie Greenslade @ July 6th, 2009 at 9:31 pm

Francois was a wonderful neighbor that we were just getting to know a little better. We loved hearing that he worked at our favorite NYC restaurant – L’Ecole in New York City along with Catherine.

We will keep Catherine and the children in our thoughts and prayers.
John & Debbie Greenslade
Ric McCauley @ July 14th, 2009 at 12:21 pm

I am so sorry to hear that Mr. Fotre’ has passed. Antoine was one of my favorite students last year in school. My family and I will keep the Fotre’s in our hearts and prayers during the difficult months ahead.
Trisha Bagby @ July 14th, 2009 at 5:37 pm

I am deeply saddened by your loss. Antoine was a pleasure to have in class last year and was always shared great family stories in class. I will keep you all in my prayers. God Bless
Karen Mayberry @ July 16th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

I am so sorry to hear about Mr. Fotre’s passing. Mrs. Fotre, Antoine, and Julia, I am remembering you in my thoughts and prayers.

Much Love,
Amanda & Jason Leslie @ July 21st, 2009 at 11:56 pm

Our sympathies go out to the Fotre family. Julia, you and the rest of your family are in our prayers. May God bless you in the days ahead.
Charlene Elmore @ July 26th, 2009 at 7:41 pm

Julia, I am so sad to hear of your Father’s passing. Please know that you, Antoine, and your Mom are in my prayers. I have often thought of you over the years and wondered how you were doing. If you would like to talk, please, get me through the district’s email.
Love,
Charlene Elmore