René Bajeux, former chef of Bistro Zinc will be missed

René Bajeux, one of the best ambassadors of traditional French cuisine in New Orleans since 1997, passed away in Mississippi on September 10 at age 61. He became a celebrity in that town with his menus at The Grill Room, and other restaurants, and later on with his own René Bistrot, and La Côte.
But for many years between the late 1970s and the mid 90s he worked in Chicago as a praised professional who greatly contributed to improve the image of what was not at the time yet known as French "bistronomy". He was chef in some of the best French bistrots and brasseries of that era such as La Bohème, Le Bastille, Un Grand Café, La Forêt, chez Jenny. But I will always remember him for all the great dinners I had with French visitors when, in 1996, he launched as chef (and I believe also co-owner for a while), the original Bistro Zinc, onSouthport, one of the most authentic French bistros we had at the time in Chicago.