Ris Lacoste is a top D.C. chef and food writer who is building her own restaurant in downtown Washington. Lacoste trained at Anne Willan’s La Varenne — Ecole de Cuisine in Paris before starting her career in New England and then coming the Washington, where she helped open 21 Federal and Kinkead’s. Her most recent post was head chef at Georgetown’s 1789 restaurant.
You were longtime friends with Julia Child. What do you think of the new movie about her life?
The movie is great. Meryl Streep did an amazing job. Every now and then I had to remind myself it was actually Meryl Streep.
What was your relationship like?
I knew her very well, for 20 years. I saw her a couple of times a year. When I worked at the Harvest Restaurant in Cambridge, next door to where she lived, I would cook her cheeseburgers.
What was she like in person?
She was hardworking and just so real and genuine and gracious to everyone. She remembered everyone. Her lessons in life were having fun and having passion about what you do.
What did she teach you?
She taught you to study something thoroughly, as a scientist would, to really know what is going on, and share it with others. She taught me life lessons. She taught me to volunteer my time, make your name a household word. And you better have meatloaf on your menu. She loved it.
What kind of restaurant are you opening?
The restaurant is going to be called Ris. It’s going to be in the heart of the West End, on the corner of 23rd and L Street. It’s going to be a neighborhood cafe and will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’m really trying to create an everyday dining concept, a classy neighborhood joint.
What was Julia Child’s favorite food?
I cooked for her 80th birthday and her 85th birthday and I said, what do you want to eat, and her answer was oysters, foie gras, duck with potatoes anna and asparagus and chocolate almond cake. But what she also loved to eat was cheeseburgers and hot fudge sundaes.
