ABOUT
The Birchrunville Store Café was built in 1898, however it was originally constructed to serve as a creamery. Eventually the building also became a general store and post office. In the late 1970s the general store was converted to a café. It was not until 1999 that Chef Francis opened The Birchrunville Store Café. To this day the building still houses a working post office.
CHEF FRANCIS
With a background in French and Italian training, coming from France and Italy, I was approached by a restaurant owner in Monte Carlo ( French Riviera), who has a sister restaurant called Monte Carlo Living Room in Philadelphia. I came over to the US in 1989 to work at that restaurant as a sous chef with executive chef Nunzio Patruno. Monte Carlo Living Room opened a second restaurant next door on Second and South Street in Philadelphia, called Primavera. I became the chef there for 3 years and then decided to open my own restaurant in Bala Cynwood, Philadelphia called Tartufo for the next 3 years.
I then moved on to work with Jean Francois Taquet at Taquet restaurant as a sous chef...( 2 years ) and next moved to Haverford, at Quisset restaurant which later changed it's name to Provence. In 1999 I opened Birchrunville Cafe and in 2017 opened ButterScotch Pastry Shop next door along with my wife, Nui, who also owns Thai L'elephant restaurant which is now called Nui Nui Kitchen.
