By Phil Webber
Chef/Owner Doug Langevin / Frank Lascher
Doug Langevin, the chef/owner of The Bistro Nouveau, is excited about the reopening of the The Center at Eastman and the opportunities the renovation has brought him. Having survived nine months of cooking out of Peppermint Patty’s at the South Cove Activity Center (SCAC) and serving out of the SCAC’skitchen, the entire Bistro staff is delighted to be back in new but familiar surroundings. The Bistro is celebrating 10 years in Eastman. Let’s meet the chef.
Doug is locally grown, like the produce he likes to use. He was the first graduate of the culinary vocational program at Claremont High School in Claremont, NH. He went on to Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., where he majored in culinary arts while working full time at several area restaurants, including the five-star Gatehouse in Providence, R.I. When The Gatehouse’s owner opened a new restaurant in South Beach in Miami, FL, the new Chef Doug moved with him. Subsequent moves took him to a restaurant in Washington, D.C. where he was the sous chef of a restaurant with $7 million in annual sales, and Atlanta, GA where he was the executive chef of a mid-town restaurant that specialized in catering. Following those moves, he returned to New Hampshire and opened Bistro Nouveau in Claremont in 2003. At the Eastman Community Association’s behest, he moved the restaurant to The Center at Eastman in 2006.
The following is an interview conducted with Doug shortly after the reopening of The Center at Eastman in July.
Q. Who inspired you the most along your journey?
A. Chef Mac from the Inn at Weathersfield in Vermont. I worked there when I was in college. I was 19 at the time, and he took me under his wing. I learned how to treat the staff and to stay calm in the kitchen.
Q. What is your favorite food to cook? What do you cook at home?
A. I get inspired by fresh ingredients. I go to farmers’ markets …, a local farm, like Edgewater [in Plainfield, NH], … to see what looks great, and then prepare a meal around those ingredients. I enjoy different cuisines—ethnic, American—and enjoy the flexibility to cook anything. I do a lot of grilling—keeping it simple. I try things out before bringing it into the restaurant.
Q. Why did you agree to move to Eastman?
A. I was enticed to come by the large function room and the many opportunities I felt would be accessible by working in this community association.
Q. What do you like best about being at Eastman?
A. It probably sounds corny, but I really like the community and the people here.
Q. What has been the biggest challenge moving back to The Center?
A. Just getting organized—restocking the shelves and putting everything in order.
Q. What do you like best about the renovation?
A. The larger bar and the expanded pub area. We’re already hearing lots of positive comments. And although the dining room is smaller, it’s cozy and comfortable. People like the new deck as well.
Q. What did you learn from the customer survey you conducted in the spring?
A. It confirmed that our patrons like what we’re doing. We received good feedback on what people enjoy—what food and beverages—and what additions people would like to see, especially beer and wine.
Q. You actually run multiple businesses: the pub, dining room, function room, off-premises catering, as well as take-out orders. How big is your staff?
A. During peak summer time, we have about 20 full or parttime staff. About half that number during the rest of the year.
Q. What is your biggest business challenge?
A. Labor, just like every restaurant in the Upper Valley. Unemployment is very low, and finding experienced
restaurant staff is difficult.
Q. And when you’re not working?
A. I like to kayak, hike, snowshoe, as well as attend rock concerts. I enjoy the hiking trails in Eastman, especially to Cole Pond and Butternut Pond. I’ve also hiked the Presidential Range in the White Mountains. Over the years I’ve also had the opportunity to travel, where I can experience the local cuisine—Costa Rica, Bolivia, Peru, Italy, New Orleans. I especially like to find the “Mom and Pop” restaurants where the locals eat, as well as check out the street food vendors.
Q. Thanks for all you’re doing for our community.
A. You’re welcome!
Phil Webber is chair of the Restaurant Advisory Committee. He is a 21-year owner at Eastman and a frequent patron at Bistro Nouveau.
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