The Preservation Hall restaurant located at 655 Empress Street has permanently closed its doors.
Preservation Hall is owned by husband-and-wife team Tristan and Melanie Foucault, with this being Tristan’s fourth restaurant venture. Formerly the longtime Chef at Peasant Cookery, Tristan also held chef positions at Oui Bistro and Hu’s on First. His culinary journey began at 15 in a local Keg Restaurant, followed by formal training at The Dubrulle Culinary School in Vancouver, BC.
After completing his education, he gained experience at the Four Seasons Hotel and Le Crocodile before returning to Winnipeg. Tristan has been awarded two “Chef of the City” scholarships, which allowed him to stage at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Restaurant in 2007 and the 3 Michelin Star French Laundry in 2005. These experiences deepened his commitment to sustainability and farm-to-table cuisine. He is also recognized for pioneering the charcuterie movement in Winnipeg and is considered a leading expert in the science of dry-cured sausage.
The restaurant is now part of the long list of establishments that could not recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. A post on their Instagram account reads:
It is with profound sadness that we must share that Preservation Hall is now closed. We have made the incredibly difficult decision to close our doors. We tried everything in our power to save the restaurant until the end, but nothing could save us from the black hole opening at the begining of covid created. Thank you to our amazing loyal guests and our staff that became family. Your support the last 4 years has been humbling. We will miss you all so much, thank you for the memories.
