As millions of people globally turn their attention to the Olympics, poultry continues to reign supreme high above the streets of Paris, all year round.
Le Coq & Fils – translating to The Rooster & Sons – is a stylish, contemporary restaurant featuring a captivating midnight blue exterior, nestled in the charming artists’ enclave of Montmartre, Paris.
“Just as a rooster would have climbed to the summit of a haystack in a farmyard,” the restaurant highlights in a press release regarding its location.
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Whole-roasted poultry and other game soar off the menu at Le Coq & Fils, known in English as The Poultry House.
Each exceptional bird struts across the Paris dining scene, paired with the rich elegance of fine French champagne sourced from just east of the city.
Roasted heritage-breed white Gauloise chicken from Bresse, France, served at Le Coq & Fils (Rooster & Sons) in Paris, July 2024. The Bresse region, near Switzerland, has been famed for centuries for its uniquely flavored local chickens. (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)
“The chef aims to be the ultimate destination for poultry because it is his passion and, in his eyes, the most refined meat available,” said Patricia Grunler-Westermann during a phone interview, speaking on behalf of her husband, renowned restaurateur Antoine Westermann.
Le Coq & Fils is celebrated for its whole-roasted, heritage-breed birds, sourced from small farms across France.
Chef Antoine Westermann “loves poultry and, for him, it is the most elegant meat that exists.”
The regal birds come with a princely price tag.
The priciest dish on the menu during a recent Fox News Digital visit was €167 – approximately $181 for the succulent bird served on the bone in U.S. dollars.
Le Coq & Fils (Rooster & Sons) in Paris, July 2024, also referred to as The Poultry House, specializes in heritage-breed chickens raised by small farms. A recent menu featured a whole bird intended to serve four for €167 ($181). (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)
These are suggested to feed four people. However, two hungry diners might devour the entire bird in one sitting.
Available under the “birds to share” section of the menu, the whole-roasted chickens come with a variety of side options and are sourced from France’s finest poultry producers.
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Westermann gained international acclaim with the Michelin three-star restaurant Le Buerehiesel in Strasbourg, France.
The Westermanns previously operated the poultry-centric restaurant Le Coq Rico in New York City from 2016 to 2018.
Chef Antoine Westermann of Le Coq & Fils in Paris is renowned for his expertise in fine dining with heritage-breed poultry. His acclaim began with the previous Michelin three-star establishment, Le Buerehiesel in Strasbourg. (@cookheure/Le Coq & Fils)
The restaurant offers tasting notes that detail the birds and the farms that produced them, with the maître d’ presenting the bird at your table for your approval, similar to how a sommelier would present fine wine.
This is far beyond just a standard chicken dinner; it provides an elevated dining experience typically associated with upscale steakhouses and chic wine bars.
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The €181 white Gauloise chicken originates from Bresse, an area in central-eastern France near the Swiss border, recognized for its exceptional flavor in fowl for centuries.
“The queen of poultry, fit for kings,” asserted culinary expert Jean Anthelem Brillat-Savarin in his seminal 1825 work, “The Physiology of Taste.”
Le Coq & Fils elevates chicken by utilizing heritage-breed birds that are slow-raised and slow-roasted by acclaimed chef Antoine Westermann. (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)
Bresse birds enjoy the “appellation d’origine controlle” (AOC) designation, which protects historically significant regional products with branded names in the marketplace.
Only chickens raised specifically in Bresse can be labeled as such, akin to how only sparkling wine produced in Champagne can be referred to as champagne.
“Son gout est elegant, sa chair tendre, sa peau, croustillense et gouteuse a la fois,” states the restaurant’s tasting notes regarding the famed chicken.
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In English, this translates to: “Its taste is elegant, its meat tender, its skin crispy and delicious all at once.”
The chicken is served around its backbone but beautifully deconstructed into legs, wings, thighs, and breasts, adorned with thick, crispy, beautifully golden skin alongside plump cloves of purple garlic.
Roast chicken accompanied by garlic bulbs at Le Coq & Fils (Rooster & Sons) in Paris, France, July 2024. The restaurant specializes in heritage-breed chickens sourced from small local farms, including those in Bresse, an area recognized for its flavorful chickens. (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)
A small metal tag certifies it as a genuine Bresse-raised bird.
Even the most casual observer can identify the differences between heritage-breed chickens and the typical commercially raised variety.
Notoriously, the breasts of Bresse birds are smaller in proportion to their bodies, unlike the large-breasted mass-produced chickens commonly sold in supermarkets.
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Commercial chickens are selectively bred and nourished to maximize their coveted white-meat breasts.
The $181 price tag is attributed to several factors, Grunler-Westermann explained.
Free-range chickens are observed on a small family farm in Nevanche, France, May 16, 2024. (THIBAUT DURAND/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images)
These heritage-breed birds are raised for up to 160 days, whereas commercial birds are typically harvested at around 30 days and are mass-fed for efficiency rather than flavor.
In addition to chicken, quail and squab are also featured on the restaurant’s menu. All produce comes from France’s most elite farms, carefully cooked utilizing techniques honed by Westermann over the years.
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“It’s about slow growth and slow cooking, centered around one meat,” Grunler-Westermann stated.
“It’s a meat festival.”
“Many restaurants feature a singular focus, whether it’s fish or specialized steakhouses. Our focus is solely on poultry.”
The chickens on their menu incur significantly higher costs for their raising and feeding, take longer to mature, and come from farms vetted for their quality agricultural practices.
Chef Antoine Westermann enhances the chicken dining experience at Le Coq & Fils in Paris, featuring amazing heritage-breed poultry sourced from small farmers. (Getty Images; @cookheure/Le Coq & Fils; Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)
The Westermann family aspires to elevate public perception of chicken through their poultry showcase in Paris.
“People don’t think twice about ordering a steak at a steakhouse. They recognize its worth and anticipate a remarkable experience,” Grunler-Westermann noted.
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“When consuming the entire bird, one experiences an array of flavors – from the dark and white meat to the delightful taste and texture of the skin and the tender meat nestled between the bones,” he added.
“It’s nothing short of a meat festival.”
