How a Frenchman with a passion for food found his home in Orange County
The History
“We came here in 1982 on vacation for a couple of months to visit a friend’s son, who owned a restaurant called Paula’s in Newport Beach,” restaurateur Pascal Olhats recalls.
Pascal was born in Rouen, in the Normandy region of France, and raised by a father who co-owned a small trucking business and a mother who loved to cook.
“My dad and mother were very strong people,” Pascal says, “who went through some very hard times during WWII, and after the war enjoyed life and had lots of friends. Many of those friends would show up unexpectedly and stay for dinner, and because of that, we always had enough food in the house to cook a three-to-four course meal at any time.”
“I was always in the kitchen with mother,” Pascal reminisces. “She had me make fresh mayonnaise when friends came to dinner, and told me when I was 15 that I needed to work in a local restaurant over summer break.”
After working in several top restaurants in Rouen, Pascal’s next stop was in Brussels, where he spent four years at CERIA, a hotel and restaurant college. Following that, he worked as a server and later assistant head waiter for master chef Paul Bocuse at his flagship restaurant in Lyon. St. Tropez called, and he worked for three years as service staff manager at the famous Club 55, where he was also in charge of catering and cooked for and served many celebrities.
The Move to Orange County
After getting a taste of America on his visit in 1982, Pascal moved to Orange County in 1984 to work as head chef at Piret’s Restaurant at South Coast Plaza and later as chef de cuisine at Le Meridien Hotel in Newport Beach (now Renaissance Newport Beach Hotel). Moving on, he was executive chef at Players in Irvine, and, following that, executive chef at Chanteclair Restaurant in Newport Beach.
“I really connected with the Orange County food scene,” he says, “and, for the first time, we had wine dinners and food demonstrations. It was well received.”
By now, Pascal is married to Mimi, and they have one daughter, two-year-old Magali, with another girl on the way – Fanny. It is 1988, and he sees a lease sign at Plaza Newport on Bristol Street. It is here that he opens his first restaurant, Pascal Restaurant (later changed to Traditions by Pascal), where he remains for 26 years. Four years later, the third daughter, Pascaline, arrives, and Pascal’s Epicerie opens right next door for gourmet food and wine take-out. Both the restaurant and epicerie were a win-win for everyone who loved good food and wine. And, the fresh roses with which Mimi decorated the restaurant only added to the gourmet experience.
During those 26 years, Pascal mentored many rising star chefs, who have since gone on to acclaim. They are all grateful for his kindness and expertise. Ron Fougeray, executive corporate chef for JC Resorts (including Surf & Sand Resort and Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego), speaks for many when he says of Pascal:
“I love his energy and his passion for food and life. He taught me how important it is to be customer-centered so they know you care and are involved.”
Pascal came on board as chef of Café Jardin at Sherman Library & Gardens in 1995 and 10 years ago introduced Pascal’s Tea Garden Creperie at the lush garden location in Corona del Mar.
He has also consulted for a number of restaurants in Orange County, including French 75, Savannah Chophouse and Brasserie Pascal.
A New Start
In March, 2014, the famous French chef closed the doors of his beloved Traditions restaurant, later closing the epicerie as well, with Brasserie Pascal having changed hands around the same time.
Not quite ready to retire at 60, Pascal looked for another location for a restaurant, but couldn’t find a place in Newport. In 2013, Pascal in San Juan Capistrano opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays), with an accompanying epicerie.
Six years ago, Pascal partnered with Anne Manassero of Manassero Farms fame to offer food events at the farm in Irvine. Dubbed “The Farmer’s Wife and French Chef,” the two present breakfasts, lunches and dinners with cooking demos to hundreds of people each year.
And, in his spare time, Pascal is a professor at Saddleback College, teaching French classic cuisine and French bistro fare.
Awards and Accolades
Pascal’s honors include 1991 Chef of the Year by the California Writers Association, President of the French Chef Association, Zagat Guide’s #1 rating of Pascal Restaurant for 15 years, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, 2006 Restaurant Hall of Fame National Award, and 2015 Golden Foodies Award for Best French Restaurant, to name a few. Another highlight was the documentary film by Grub Tribe on Pascal’s life as a chef. Called La Tradition, it was presented at the 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival.
Pascal treasures being invited along with other esteemed chefs to cook at Julia Child’s 80th birthday party. He felt a connection to her when he realized, after watching the movie Julia & Julia, that the restaurant where Julia was eating her sole meuniere was the first restaurant he worked at in his hometown of Rouen. Another highlight is his valued friendship with Peter and Ginny Ueberroth and their family, which began in 1988 when Pascal opened his first restaurant, and they became huge fans.
Raising Money for Good Causes
The busy chef has contributed his time and expertise to many good causes over the years, none more so than a culinary extravaganza called Table for Ten, which was established in 2006, initially as Culinary Masters. Kristin Martin, who created the event, asked Pascal the first year to volunteer his time as chef as well as the food to create a dinner for 10 people, and he has participated every year since. Soon, more than 30 chefs were participating.
“Over the years, Pascal has helped raise a lot of money for the worthy nonprofits that I have been so fortunate to work with,” Kristin says. “With his passion for cooking and everything culinary, positive outlook on life, tireless energy, and willingness to help others, he is one of the chef ‘gems’ in Orange County. I feel fortunate to call him my friend.”
Pascal has taken up another cause recently, thanks to his wife Christine, who he married in 2006.
“Her mission is to save animals, especially elephants,” he says.
Four years ago, they traveled to Thailand to spend a week in an elephant rescue sanctuary, and Pascal was so moved he created a nonprofit to raise money to support the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mia, Thailand. His next Gray Event, as he calls them, is in Santa Barbara in April. Visit TheGrayEvents.org for more information.
A New Challenge
In September, 2018, Pascal was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma, which attacks your immune system. It was a shock.
“I lead a healthy life and do everything in moderation,” he says. “And, I have no history of cancer in my family.”
He cannot do radiation (the lymph nodes explode), so he is going through six rounds of injection chemo, with the final treatment in mid-March.
“So far, 80% of the lymph nodes have receded, and I’m hoping to be in remission soon,” he says. “My final treatment is around my 65th birthday, so that will be my gift.”
Pascal has been pleasantly surprised by all the support he has received from the culinary community and his many friends.
“You realize you fight the disease because people are fighting for you,” he says. “It is important to listen and embrace that support. For me, it’s 80% of the treatment.”
Looking Back
I could not dream of a better journey,” Pascal says. “I came here for a vacation and never left. It’s a little far from France, but I brought a bit of my French culture and shared it with all my Francophile friends.”
And, for that we are very grateful, Pascal.
Pull Quote #1: under “The History”
“I was always in the kitchen with mother,” Pascal reminisces. “She had me make fresh mayonnaise when friends came to dinner, and told me when I was 15 that I needed to work in a local restaurant over summer break.”
Pull Quote #2: Under “The Move to Orange County”
“I really connected with the Orange County food scene, and, for the first time, we had wine dinners and food demonstrations. It was well received.” Pascal says of his early years in Orange County
Pull Quote #3: Under “Raising Money for Good Causes”
“With his passion for cooking and everything culinary, positive outlook on life, tireless energy, and willingness to help others, he is one of the chef ‘gems’ in Orange County. I feel fortunate to call him my friend.” – Kristin Martin, founder/director of Table for 10
Pull Quote: #4: Under “A New Challenge”
“You realize you fight the disease because people are fighting for you. It is important to listen and embrace that support. For me, it’s 80% of the treatment,” Pascal says of his treatment for T-cell lymphoma