Martial Noguier, Executive Chef/Owner
Martial Noguier, Executive Chef/Owner of Bistronomic, brings more than 25 years of culinary experience to the modern gastronomic bistro located in the heart of Chicago’s notable Gold Coast neighborhood.
Originally hailing from Paris, France, Chef Noguier worked for a number of French chefs before coming to the United States. He continued to gain experience while serving as Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine for various prestigious hotels and fine-dining establishments such as Patina in California and Citronelle at the Latham Hotel in Washington D.C. before relocating to Chicago.
Prior to his position at Bistronomic, Noguier served as Executive Chef and Corporate Chef at the venerable Pump Room in the Omni Ambassador East hotel as well Executive Chef roles at one sixtyblue and Café de Architectes at the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower Hotel. Under his tutelage, one sixtyblue was named the “Best Restaurant of 2006” by the Chicago Sun-Times, and he received additional accolades from esteemed local media, including the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, and North Shore Magazine. While at the Sofitel in 2009, Chef Noguier was honored as “Chef of the Year” by Chicago Social magazine and received his first James Beard Foundation Award nomination among other recognition.
Chef/Owner Martial Noguier’s long-time dream came to fruition in February of 2011 with the opening of Bistronomic, which was received with wide acclaim. He created a contemporary bistro that was both approachable and affordable. The restaurant was quickly deemed the “Best New Restaurant” by Chicago magazine and the Chicago Tribune. Chef Noguier earned his second James Beard Foundation Award nomination for “Best Chef Great Lakes” and Bistronomic was nominated in the “Best New Restaurant” category. Michelin’s Bib Gourmand recognition was also awarded to Bistronomic for three years.
Laurence Noguier
French-born Laurence Noguier blends her background in fashion and business with her love of chefs into both her personal and private lives. Growing up, she earned a degree in law and art history. She worked in the fashion industry while studying in Paris to pay for her room and board. However, soon fashion took precedence when she worked with Thierry Mugler in Paris as a cabin model and soon after Laurence went on to collaborate with the commercial director to sell the new collections to stores around the globe.
Laurence went on to work at Chloe when Karl Lagerfeld was the designer. She was selling the collections and responsible for the in-house showroom. As luck would have it, one of the clients of Lagerfeld and Chloe hired Laurence to manage a retail store that was one of the most famous in Paris. This eventually led Laurence to meet friends who worked for a French designer who offered Laurence the opportunity to move to Chicago and open their first U.S. store located on Oak Street. She also worked as a fashion stylist for Elite during that time and it was also when she met her husband and three-time James Beard nominee chef, Martial Noguier, who owns Bistronomic.
Soon Laurence realized that she’d like to steer her career into a direction close to Martial’s, but not exactly on the same path. She began representing some of the finest producers of porcelain and linens in the United States that she sells to Chicago’s best hotels and restaurants. Some of the brands that she represents include: Degrenne, Revol, Garnier-Thiebaut, Raynaud, Ercuis, Wedgwood, Peugeot Saveurs, Christofle. This was her own way of keeping the fashion world close to her heart while integrating her husband’s world with hers, so they could share similar interests.
Since Laurence owns her own business, it allows her the flexibility to spend time with Martial. She has always made her time with him a priority since being married to chef and staying happily married to a chef requires flexibility. Together, Martial and Laurence have a handsome and energetic son named Lucas.