Posted at 5:08 PM ET, 04/ 2/2009

Luxury Takes a Holiday at Le Paradou

By Julia Beizer

Chef Yannick Cam plans to close his formal French restaurant after dinner April 25.

Le Paradou fell victim to both recession and landlord issues, he says. "Business dropped 30 percent" from last year, says Cam, who actually considered turning out the lights in March but wanted to honor private party commitments scheduled for this month.

There isn't a hint of sadness in his voice when he talks about the impending death of his five-year-old restaurant. "For me, it's not like I failed," he says. "The landlord didn't want to renegotiate" on more favorable terms. Plus, the haute cuisine routine proved increasingly difficult; "it's hard to find staff" familiar with the demands of such a restaurant, he says.

But Cam, 60, is far from hanging up his apron. He's looking for a space to open a more casual French restaurant, and McLean and the Palisades neighborhood in Northwest Washington are both on his wish list. This time, he vows no more 80-hour work weeks and "no more lunch."

-- Tom Sietsema