Peter Woolsey, Executive Chef

“As an ambassador of classic French bistrot cuisine, I reflect on traditional dishes, looking for the most personal, honest way to present the food that has become so dear to me. My goal in the kitchen is to not overlook any possible detail, from the seasonality of the produce to the precise execution of the desserts, producing everything from scratch, therefore paying homage to the generations that have cooked these recipes before me.”

Peter, a native Philadelphian, began his career cooking at New York's legendary Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Lured to France to study Pastry at the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu in Paris he began to focus on the entirety of fine cuisine, embracing both savory and sweet disciplines. He stayed on in Paris to cook at 3-Star Michelin-rated Lucas Carton, under celebrated chefs Alain SENDERENS and Fredérique ROBERT.  Peter not only fell in love with the country and its cuisine, but with one of its citizens.

Peter and his wife Peggy made their home in Philadelphia where Peter worked with Philadelphia's cooking elite: Le Mas Perrier's Laurent PILLARD and renowned 5-star chef Georges PERRIER, and Striped Bass' James Beard award-winning Chefs Christopher LEE and Alfred PORTALE of New York's famed Gotham Bar and Grill. After his tenure at Striped Bass, Peter became the Executive Pastry Chef of Washington Square until the time approached to dedicate himself full time to the creation of Bistrot La Minette. .

The journey of creating Bistrot La Minette could not have been possible without the enduring dedication of his French wife and in-laws and the efforts of his family here in the States.