Cuistot Restaurant – Welcome to Cuistot

Bernard was born in Condrieu, France in
1953. His family operated a farm and this is where Bernard gained his
appreciation for fresh, tasteful food. His father wanted him to pick up a
trade, so at age 13, he became an apprentice charcutier and worked in
Vienne until 1972. He worked under the direction of Chef Paul Bocuse in
Lyon, France from 1972 to 1974 as a cuisinier and with Roger Verge in Le
Moulin de Mougin. Bernard was sent by Paul Bocuse to the United States
in 1974 to work at Le Francais in Wheeling, Illinois as a saucier/sous
chef under the supervision of Jean Bachet. He then worked at the Pump
Room in Chicago, Illinois from 1978 until 1980 as Executive Chef.

Bernard was hired in 1980 at the Beverly
Hills Hotel at the recommendation of Wolfgang Puck. He was Executive
Chef at the hotel until 1986. After leaving the Beverly Hills Hotel,
Bernard went to the Grand Champions Resort in Indians Wells and also to
Aspen, Colorado serving as Executive Chef until opening Cuistot in 1987.

When you have a thriving restaurant, widely
regarded as one of the best, even perhaps the best in the desert, why
on earth would you want to move? A Chef’s life is stressful enough! To
take on the extra challenge of moving everything from a well-established
location to a totally new venue seems like a choice of a workaholic run
amok. But the opportunity to purchase the land at the intersection of
two of the most traveled and renowned thoroughfares in the desert only
presents itself once in a lifetime. So in 2003 Bernard and his wife
Susan broke ground on their new location. The building incorporates a
rustic French farmhouse theme conceived by the Dervieuxs and executed by
Design Development in Agoura Hills, CA.

Spacious dining areas are separated into
four major rooms to accommodate up to 290 diners, including 80 on the
heated, outdoor terrace. For private parties there is a comfortable Wine
Room which seats up to 40. The largest dining room features a giant
fireplace reminiscent of the one in Dervieux’s childhood home near Lyon,
France. Bernard’s Room overlooks the gleaming exposition kitchen for
those wishing to experience the creative energy of the Chef and his
staff in action.