La Provence, A Lacombe Institution, Is Closed and For Sale for $1 Million [Updated]

La Provence, longstanding French restaurant in Lacombe, is closed for good, reports Ian McNulty at The Advocate. The Northshore destination, which has been in operation for nearly half a century, served its last meal in April.

It was in April that the restaurant closed for repairs — this closing turned out to be permanent. The restaurant was beloved for its French cuisine and ambience, reminiscent of a French country inn. Located in an hour outside of NOLA, it was a road trip destination for city dwellers in search of a killer meal.

La Provence got its start in the early 70s, the brainchild of French-born chef, the late Chris Kerageorgiou. John Besh bought the restaurant from Kerageorgiou in 2007, when his health was declining (Besh worked at La Provence early in his career.) Besh eventually sold the restaurant to its last owners, Eric Hunter and Jennifer Pittman in May 2017. Hunter told The Advocate that while the sexual harassment allegations came out after Besh told the restaurant, he believes they impacted his business.

While the restaurant is closed, Hunter is selling eggs, jams, sauces, and pâté from the kitchen at the Covington Farmers Market. He’s also started B Hunter’s Backdoor BBQ, a mobile barbecue business.

NOLA.com reports that Hunter is putting up La Provence for sale — with an asking price of $1 Million. Also for sale is the 2.1 acres of surrounding property. The restaurant and land are not listed.

Update, June 7, 4:38 p.m.

This story has been updated to reflect news of the sale.