Arts

French chef reopens Palo Alto cafe following pandemic shutdown

Cafe shares space with nonprofit Avenidas, aims to bring in people of all ages

Chef Julien Cellier shows staff members how to make the prosciutto sandwich that will be for sale at The Redwood at Avenidas on Sept. 27, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier.

After a nearly three-year hiatus, The Redwood, a cafe at Avenidas in downtown Palo Alto, reopened its doors Monday, Oct. 3. Led by chef Julien Cellier, the cafe serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday.

This is the first cafe Cellier has ever run, a step that builds on a roughly 15 year-career in the industry following his graduation from the Vatel Institute in Paris.

Cellier, who is originally from Lyon, France, has spent years working in both France and the U.S., including in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Two years ago he launched a business offering catering, packaged meals and private chef services in Palo Alto. Even though information about his business spread only through word of mouth, he soon found himself in need of a larger kitchen and staff to fulfill the orders that were coming in, he said. His clients have routinely told him they'd love to have a place where they can eat his culinary creations any time.

The interiors of The Redwood at Avenidas on Sept. 27, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier.

Eventually he connected with Avenidas, which had lost its previous cafe vendor when the pandemic hit. Cellier said he and his staff have been working hard to prepare the cafe menu and ready the space for customers.

Amy Yotopoulos, Avenidas' president and CEO, said that when she started in the role about a year ago, one of the first and most frequent questions she received was, "When is the cafe reopening?"

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"It took some time, as things do these days, but it was worth the wait," she said.

Chef Julien Cellier at The Redwood at Avenidas on Sept. 27, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier.

Incorporating a cafe space into Avenidas was a concept that came about when the senior center was remodeled back in 2017 and 2018, she said. The idea was that in many homes, the kitchen and dining rooms are key household gathering places. And while senior centers are generally open to the public, sometimes people don't think there's anything there for them. That's a notion they hope to change by inviting the public into the new cafe.

One thing customers might notice are the very reasonable-by-Palo Alto-standards prices, she adds. Most lunch items are $11 to $12, with breakfast items $6 and under. Avenidas members will receive a 10% discount on all listed prices.

For Cellier, affordability is an important element of his approach to cuisine. "I've always tried to defend affordable food or gastronomy. I think that gastronomy should be for everyone, and not only for rich people," he said.

When asked whether there are any special menu considerations he's making for the older adults Avenidas serves, Cellier said he's eager to serve the same menu to all customers. He plans to change up the menu with some regularity based on what's in season, and wants to help customers of all ages discover new foods.

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Many menu items have either a special ingredient or a subtle French touch. For instance, the prosciutto sandwich has a sauce with fire-roasted eggplant and red peppers, while the roast beef sandwich comes with a French bearnaise sauce flavored with shallots and tarragon. These offerings are in addition to more clearly French cafe staples, like the croque monsieur and the quiche Lorraine.

A shrimp coconut curry with broccoli and rice that was available as a take out meal at The Redwood at Avenidas in Palo Alto on Sept. 27, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier.

Cellier will continue to offer prepared meals, catering and private chef services. His weekly specials are posted on his website and are available for pickup at Avenidas, with the latest dishes including pork stew, lasagna and chicken Basquaise.

"I don't feel like I'm working every day. I enjoy what I do, and I'm so passionate about it," Cellier says. "I spend a lot of time here in the kitchen, but I like it."

The Redwood by Chef Julien, 450 Bryant St., Palo Alto, 650-289-5400, avenidas.org/programs/cafe. Instagram: @chefjulien.paloalto.

Kate Bradshaw is the associate editor for TheSixFifty.com, a sister publication of the Palo Alto Weekly.

Kate Bradshaw
   
Kate Bradshaw reports food news and feature stories all over the Peninsula, from south of San Francisco to north of San José. Since she began working with Embarcadero Media in 2015, she's reported on everything from Menlo Park's City Hall politics to Mountain View's education system. She has won awards from the California News Publishers Association for her coverage of local government, elections and land use reporting. Read more >>

Follow Palo Alto Online and the Palo Alto Weekly on Twitter @paloaltoweekly, Facebook and on Instagram @paloaltoonline for breaking news, local events, photos, videos and more.

French chef reopens Palo Alto cafe following pandemic shutdown

Cafe shares space with nonprofit Avenidas, aims to bring in people of all ages

by / TheSixFifty.com

Uploaded: Wed, Oct 5, 2022, 1:18 pm

After a nearly three-year hiatus, The Redwood, a cafe at Avenidas in downtown Palo Alto, reopened its doors Monday, Oct. 3. Led by chef Julien Cellier, the cafe serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday.

This is the first cafe Cellier has ever run, a step that builds on a roughly 15 year-career in the industry following his graduation from the Vatel Institute in Paris.

Cellier, who is originally from Lyon, France, has spent years working in both France and the U.S., including in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Two years ago he launched a business offering catering, packaged meals and private chef services in Palo Alto. Even though information about his business spread only through word of mouth, he soon found himself in need of a larger kitchen and staff to fulfill the orders that were coming in, he said. His clients have routinely told him they'd love to have a place where they can eat his culinary creations any time.

Eventually he connected with Avenidas, which had lost its previous cafe vendor when the pandemic hit. Cellier said he and his staff have been working hard to prepare the cafe menu and ready the space for customers.

Amy Yotopoulos, Avenidas' president and CEO, said that when she started in the role about a year ago, one of the first and most frequent questions she received was, "When is the cafe reopening?"

"It took some time, as things do these days, but it was worth the wait," she said.

Incorporating a cafe space into Avenidas was a concept that came about when the senior center was remodeled back in 2017 and 2018, she said. The idea was that in many homes, the kitchen and dining rooms are key household gathering places. And while senior centers are generally open to the public, sometimes people don't think there's anything there for them. That's a notion they hope to change by inviting the public into the new cafe.

One thing customers might notice are the very reasonable-by-Palo Alto-standards prices, she adds. Most lunch items are $11 to $12, with breakfast items $6 and under. Avenidas members will receive a 10% discount on all listed prices.

For Cellier, affordability is an important element of his approach to cuisine. "I've always tried to defend affordable food or gastronomy. I think that gastronomy should be for everyone, and not only for rich people," he said.

When asked whether there are any special menu considerations he's making for the older adults Avenidas serves, Cellier said he's eager to serve the same menu to all customers. He plans to change up the menu with some regularity based on what's in season, and wants to help customers of all ages discover new foods.

Many menu items have either a special ingredient or a subtle French touch. For instance, the prosciutto sandwich has a sauce with fire-roasted eggplant and red peppers, while the roast beef sandwich comes with a French bearnaise sauce flavored with shallots and tarragon. These offerings are in addition to more clearly French cafe staples, like the croque monsieur and the quiche Lorraine.

Cellier will continue to offer prepared meals, catering and private chef services. His weekly specials are posted on his website and are available for pickup at Avenidas, with the latest dishes including pork stew, lasagna and chicken Basquaise.

"I don't feel like I'm working every day. I enjoy what I do, and I'm so passionate about it," Cellier says. "I spend a lot of time here in the kitchen, but I like it."

The Redwood by Chef Julien, 450 Bryant St., Palo Alto, 650-289-5400, avenidas.org/programs/cafe. Instagram: @chefjulien.paloalto.

Kate Bradshaw is the associate editor for TheSixFifty.com, a sister publication of the Palo Alto Weekly.

Comments

Robert Garner
Registered user
another community
on Oct 6, 2022 at 4:42 pm
Robert Garner, another community
Registered user
on Oct 6, 2022 at 4:42 pm

We had lunch at The Redwood based on the article in your paper and it was fantastic. The food was what you would expect in a good French restaurant. The menu was limited, but offered plenty of choices and the daily specials makes us want to return. Plenty of parking nearby and in the heart of Palo Alto. A great find.


Green Gables
Registered user
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Oct 7, 2022 at 6:12 am
Green Gables, Duveneck/St. Francis
Registered user
on Oct 7, 2022 at 6:12 am

It is thanks to Mary Ruth's suggestion (who runs LaComida, the senior lunch program in Palo Alto) when approached by Julien looking for an available kitchen in which to cook, that she suggested Avenidas.


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