French restaurant in Richland enjoys recipe for success

It was as if the front door had opened to a sidewalk café in Paris. The décor, the ambience — all a delightful prelude to the French cuisine. In a “summer minute” I had been transported to this lovely place with nary a passport.

“Meet me at Lepice on Gage by Bonefish,” my husband, Bill, had texted. “Don’t go in until I get there,” he texted, counting on my look of awe when we went inside.

Really, how could I have imagined the presentation to entice one’s eyes, the subtle seasonings to tease the palate? And as we dined, the thought came: Maybe there’s an inspirational Light Notes here, a “story behind the story” of how this hidden gem came to be.

The telephone call came a few days later.

“Hi, this is Jason LaBarge, the chef and owner of Lepice,” the voice said. “You left your name and number, something about a story for the Herald?”

I quickly explained that I was hoping to write an uplifting column, and often there was a faith aspect but not a requirement.

“Did you say faith?” Jason asked, his voice distorted on the speaker as I drove down the highway.

I spelled it out: F-A-I-T-H. Again assuring him it would be nice to have that element, but if not, we could still consider an interview.

“Oh, faith!” the ‘30-something’ said, his voice rising as he continued. “There’s definitely faith behind what we’ve been doing with our restaurant.”

What I would learn in a face-to-face interview was how there are key ingredients in this family-owned business that go beyond an exquisite meal. This hometown chef learned about several as he found his God-directed path.

“I felt a certain pride and ownership,” Jason said, remembering a restaurant experience as a 21-year-old. “Like when cream was spilled, it might not be a big deal to others, but to me it was money — and I wasn’t the owner!”

Jason understood the principle of a good work ethic, but working in the kitchen of a 1947 Pullman train car was a twist of fate. His dad’s friend had needed help to get Vannini’s Italian Restaurant in Richland off the ground, and Jason was willing to lend a hand. Once the Pullman car was re-purposed, the owner invited him to interview since Jason was in between employment. For a guy who envisioned a career writing music, this was an adventure. After all, he did like cooking. By the time Jason moved to another employment opportunity, he was the kitchen manager and had gained considerable experience.

But for this eager beginner, it wasn’t enough.

“I’d watch Graham Kerr, World Class Cuisine and Julia Child on PBS and this is before the Food Network,” Jason said, recalling how it wasn’t easy to find cooking shows back in the late 1990s. “There was a whole world of food out there that I wanted to learn!”

For Jason, it was time to explore beyond the Tri-Cities. After a move to Colorado, he fortuitously began working side-by-side with a chef in Denver who had trained in kitchens Jason had only dreamed of.

“He was from France, 5-foot-5 in wooden clogs, and all his life he had known food,” Jason said, remembering the experienced chef at the country club, a place where guests might arrive in chauffeured limousines on occasion. “His parents had to pay a restaurant to hire him because in France that’s how the training is done in nicer restaurants.”

The Frenchman’s wealth of learning was absorbed by Jason daily while the two worked with other specialty chefs, many with years of expertise.

“It was a huge kitchen, like a castle, a playground,” Jason said, recalling how each chef had their specific cooking skill. “Fifteen of us are chopping in the kitchen and I admitted I hadn’t gone to culinary school — and they all laughed at me. The next day I got on the phone because there was a part of this industry that I didn’t know.”

The fact Jason had been the executive chef in a number of high-end restaurants, including sous chef at Denver’s Willie Gee’s Seafood and Steak — a frequent haunt of celebrities — that didn’t prevent him from humbling himself to return to school. Accepted at prestigious Western Culinary Institute in Portland, he and his wife, Jennifer, returned to the Northwest, where he pursued more culinary education.

Providentially while attending school, Jason found work at Waverly Country Club where he also found his next on-the-job tutor.

“A chef trained in Europe became my mentor,” Jason said, recalling his good fortune. “The day I graduated in 2002, Powell’s book store across the street was promoting Anthony Bourdain and I got my book signed.”

With graduation certificate and book in hand, Jason and his wife returned to the Tri-Cities. The couple worked hard, Jason as a chef for others and Jennifer as a registered nurse. The path wasn’t without its struggles, but the two stayed focused and strong in their faith. In 2014 they opened Lepice, the restaurant of their dreams.

“It was by the grace of God that we found this place with a professional kitchen after we’d faced a huge financial obstacle,” Jennifer said, as she reflected on how they’d worked in tandem to make it happen. “We even had a dinner party for the landlords. We were a risky bet and that convinced them to taste and know Jason’s skill level.”

Taste and see — which is exactly what had brought me to write this column.

“Even when money is tight, we can’t compromise,” Jason said. “I’m going to buy the best. If we waver on our integrity then we’ve lost everything we’ve worked for.”

Quality. Integrity. Talent. Ingredients of a recipe for success, seasoned with faith.

Bon appetit!

Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (NKJV)

This story was originally published July 31, 2016 at 3:38 AM with the headline "French restaurant in Richland enjoys recipe for success."