French cuisine in Rochester

Claude Pellerin recently moved to Michigan from Boulogne-sur-mer, France, so it’s not surprising that around Rochester she is known as The French Lady, 4505 Collins Road, Rochester, where she provides catering and cooking classes from inside Victoria’s Reserve. “We arrived about four years ago,” Pellerin said about relocating to the area for her husband’s job. “I had always cooked, and had parties at my house and people said, ‘you should open a restaurant.’” Instead, Pellerin opened a catering business inside Victoria’s Reserve’s Rochester location, providing a weekly menu with varying French cuisine for local events, businesses or luncheons. Specializing in crepes, quiche, ratatouille, tartelettes and other fare, Pellerin said she prepares meals the same way as her grandmother did when she was a child. That means, the dishes aren’t Americanized versions, but authentic offerings. “It’s real French,” she said. “The way my mother used to cook.” Each weekly menu consists of five different daily menus, with orders placed the day prior and made fresh. Other offerings include smoked salmon, poached cod and specialty menus, such as the “Tour de France” dinner, featuring dishes native to Alsace, Brittany, Provence, Hauts-de-France and Paris. Pellerin also offers cooking classes. Outside of catering and classes, The French Lady’s desserts and other foods can be found at the Rochester Farmer’s Market. “There has been a very good response,” Pellerin said about her recent opening. “It’s a very nice community. We work and go to church here. It’s a real downtown.”

Business Matters for the Rochester area are reported by Kevin Elliott. Send items for consideration to KevinElliott@downtownpublications.com. Items should be received three weeks prior to publication.