With so many people looking for both new tastes and healthier food choices, the spread of Lebanese cuisine in southeast Michigan has occurred at a rapid pace.

Le Chef offers authentic Lebanese cooking in an elegant, upscale setting.

But when owner Edward Bitar decided to open his new Lebanese restaurant Le Chef in Farmington Hills, he did so with the intention of bringing something new to the table.
Bitar’s vision was to open a place where customers could enjoy home-cooked Lebanese cuisine in an elegant, upscale atmosphere combined with American steakhouse-style favorites while still keeping the prices affordable.

“We have been inspired by the Beirut style of modern contemporary Lebanese cuisine, and we wanted to bring that type of new flavor to the area,” Bitar said.

“It seems like each decade a new style of food becomes popular (in America) and since 2000 it has been Lebanese cuisine, which is really desirable for people looking for healthy food.”

Le Chef opened in February 2010 and held its grand opening celebration on Thursday, March 11 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and party hosted by the Lebanese Chamber of Commerce.

So far, customers in the area have enjoyed both the ambiance and specialized northern Lebanon-style dishes at Le Chef and Bitar is excited about filling a new role on the restaurant scene in the Farmington Hills area.

“We’re trying to present white glove services for Lebanese food, that’s all there is to it,” he said.

“At the same time we know people are cutting their spending budgets so we want people to enjoy our food in great portions and to pay good prices for it.”

Members of the Lebanese Chamber of Commerce help Le Chef owners and staff cut the ribbon at its grand opening last month.

Thus far, the most popular dishes have been lamb chops and ribeye steaks according to Bitar. The menu also features favorites for the more cost-conscious customers such as a wide variety of $4.00 sandwiches and lunch combos ranging from $9-$12 all served in a dining atmosphere Bitar described as “professional and casual.”
Bitar expects to get a liquor license soon and plans to serve several wines including some from Lebanon.

And unlike similar upscale restaurants, Le Chef offers the added touch of true home cooking as Bitar’s mother Malake provides her own special recipes to customers.

“We want to promote fine dining here and give customers a feeling of being at home at the same time,” Bitar said.

Le Chef is a non-smoking restaurant and is located at 32621 Northwestern Highway in Farmington Hills. The phone number is 248.539.0222.