Chef Arendt brings French technique, Montana-first sourcing and a new weekly three-course Menu du Jour

BOZEMAN  — La Brasserie, the French bistro and urban winery in downtown Bozeman, has named Benjamin Arendt executive chef and partner. A Culinary Institute of America graduate, Arendt combines French culinary technique and hospitality with the ingredients, seasons and producer relationships of southwest Montana.

“French cuisine has always been about place, season and the people who produce the ingredients,” said Arendt. “I’m excited to build real relationships with Montana ranchers, growers and foragers, then let those relationships guide what we create at La Brasserie. The goal is food that feels rooted here while still carrying the warmth, care and tradition of a French table.”

Arendt’s experience includes Crew Restaurant & Bar in New York’s Hudson Valley; Leon’s Oyster Shop in Charleston; Salt Lake City’s Table X; Forbes Five-Star Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City; and Sauvage in Steamboat Springs, where he served as sous chef before going on to become an executive chef leading his own brigade. Those kitchens shaped his focus on precise technique, seasonal menus, preservation and thoughtful wine pairing.

At La Brasserie, Arendt will focus on using Montana ingredients to cook French influenced food in a relaxed, welcoming setting. He is connecting with local producers and allowing seasonal availability to guide the restaurant’s evolving menu.

Current ranch and farm partners include Amaltheia Farm and Dairy, Bausch Potato Farm, Chance Farms and Wickens Ranch.

New menu highlights include Parisian gnocchi that takes a seasonal approach to the classic French dumpling; the Amaltheia salad, composed entirely of what the Gallatin Valley produces; and trout amandine, featuring Rocky Mountain trout from a sustainable trout farm served alongside local produce.

Guests can experience Arendt’s cooking through La Brasserie’s new weekly Menu du Jour, a three-course prix fixe menu priced from $25 to $45. Designed to make French dining accessible to the local community, the menu will change each week and highlight ingredients from featured Montana farms and ranches. Each menu will be paired with wines from La Brasserie’s urban winery.

“Chef Ben brings exactly the kind of energy and perspective we want at La Brasserie. He has talent, genuine curiosity and a deep respect for the community around him,” said Aloys Scheer, owner of La Brasserie. “His cooking honors French tradition while making room for the remarkable ingredients produced right here in Montana.”

La Brasserie welcomes guests to its intimate downtown dining room. The restaurant also offers a private dining room for seated groups of up to 14 guests, as well as full-restaurant buyouts for celebrations and events of up to 50 guests.

For reservations, private-event inquiries and more information, visit labrasseriemt.com.