Chef Bill & Christine

At an early age, Bill knew he’d become a chef. His father, an avid fisherman and hunter, taught his son to appreciate diverse foods at their freshest. In 1990, Bill started his training in the kitchen at The Frog and the Peach restaurant in New Brunswick, New Jersey, under the strict eye of chef Stan Novak (former sous chef at Brooklyn’s River Café). In 1994, Bill moved to New York City to work with Drew Nieporent (Myriad Restaurant Group) and Don Pintebona at Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Grill. An impressive stint as the sous chef and then head chef at City Wine and Cigar Company under Patricia Williams followed. Bill went on to work as a restaurant consultant, until he and Christine met and married in 1998.

Christine Snell is the daughter of a chef and restaurateur from Brittany. In 1992, she graduated from L’Ecole Parisienne de Tourisme and moved to Miami Beach, where she managed the chic boutique hotel and restaurant "Century." In 1997, she was hired to work as an event coordinator for City Wine and Cigar Company, where she met Bill. In 1999 through 2000, Christine was director of sales for the prestigious Bloom Ballroom in Manhattan. Her clients included Vogue, Glamour Magazine, Paramount Pictures, Maidenform, and Sony Music, among others. In 2000, she and Bill opened Loulou, where she served as manager and front-of-the house presence. Cocotte followed Loulou, and both restaurants became popular with diners and critics for their bold menus and warm, gracious service.