The company, owned by Europe’s richest man Bernard Arnault, said Thursday that it had bought a majority stake in Chez L’ami Louis, a 100-year-old restaurant in central Paris, described by
will work to preserve the unique character and family identity of the restaurant and continue to support its French savoir-faire and expertise,” it said in a press release. It did not disclose the size of its stake nor the value of the deal. The classic bistro — famed for its roast chicken, mounds of thin, crispy fries, and plates of sizzling snails — has hosted Bill Clinton and Martin Scorsese, as well as David and Victoria Beckham, according to a source familiar with the deal.
and Arnault pledged €200 million in 2019 to help rebuild Notre Dame after fire devastated the 850-year-old church. The families behind L’Oreal and Kering also made big donations. There is a risk, the source added, that when the historical owners of culturally important venues such as Chez L’ami Louis move on, new investors swoop in and transform them “into something that is very far from identity.