James Cheskaty is a connoisseur. He loves food. He loves fine dining. And he loves the culture that surrounds it.
After working as a chef on Lansing's fine dining scene since 2010, Cheskaty joined restaurant colleague and friend Lance Davis in creating their own casual, upscale venue with a twist on French cuisine.
EnVie is slated to open before the end of 2016. The new restaurant will be located downtown at 210 S. Washington Square in the previous Brannigan Brothers.
"We both worked together for about five or six years," says Cheskaty. "He was the general manager and I was the sous chef. We had the chance to open our own place, and since I know the back-of-the-house and he knows all about service and dining, it all fit together."
EnVie will showcase dining in the French bistro style—complete with white table clothes, full service and a full bar. The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as a grab-and-go menu with pre-made sandwiches and soups for busy lunch hours.
Dishes will be prepped from scratch and include classic dishes like filet mignon and ratatouille. The menu will feature just 21 items and rotate daily to ensure guests can sample a different French dish with every visit. Desserts made in-house, European style, locally roasted coffee, and high-end French wines round out the experience.
"French cuisine has always been fascinating to me," says Cheskaty. "It focuses on flavors and techniques, which means you can apply it to any other cuisine you want. If you know French cuisine, you have a deep understanding of food."
EnVie will accommodate 80 guests in the main restaurant, with French doors leading to patio seating for about 15 people. The restaurant will feature two semi-private dining rooms, as well as an area to enjoy a glass of wine next to a fireplace. Cheskaty says he and Davis have done a full renovation of the former Brannigan Brothers, resulting in clean lines within a black and white décor accented by Edison bulbs.
EnVie will create 15 to 20 jobs with Cheskaty as executive chef and Davis as general manager.
"It's a fairly high-end concept," says Cheskaty. "Lansing has an upper echelon palate for food. There's a bunch of foodies here. That's where the idea and need for EnVie came from."
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