Chateau owners opening second Florida restaurant in Sarasota

Buddy Foy Jr. and his wife, Jennifer Foy, who achieved national renovation on the Food Network, are preparing to open The Chateau Sarasota, their second Florida restaurant.

The Chateau Sarasota opens Saturday night, Feb. 4, at 2001 Siesta Drive, Sarasota. With seating for up to 170, the new restaurant will serve what Buddy Foy calls “approachable French” cuisine.

The Foys opened their first Florida restaurant, Chateau Anna Maria, in the Waterline Marina Resort & Beach Club, 5325 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach in December 2020.

They have plans to open even more.

Were it not for the COVID-19 pandemic, the expansion might have been in upstate New York, where they continued to operate their original restaurant, Chateau On The Lake in Bolton Landing.

The New York shutdown derailed those plans, Buddy Foy said. “Florida has been so welcoming. It’s been a blessing and we’ll keep rolling with that.”

Their exposure on the Food Network TV reality show, “Summer Rush,” chronicled how the Foys ran Chateau On The Lake in competition with other family members.

That exposure brought public awareness but also raised the bar on customer expectations. It also brought a lot of followers on social media, Foy said.

“Chateau will be French inspired with Italian portions,” Foy told the Bradenton Herald in 2020. “We are coming to fill a void, not to compete with anyone or poach any employees.”

“My wife is first-generation Italian, which means everyone must have enough portions. I am French and Irish,” Buddy Foy said.

Asked about the difference in dining preferences in Florida and New York, Foy said they are pretty consistent, although Florida diners tend to order more seafood.

Chateau Sarasota will be open noon-midnight six days a week and closed Mondays. Reservations for dinner are recommended, Foy said. The restaurant also offers a full bar.

Special events planned at The Chateau Sarasota include:

▪ Jazz Nights, 8:30 pm to midnight, the last Thursday of each month.

▪ Chefs’ Tasting Counter, the last Thursday of each month. Only eight seats are available.

▪ Club Chateau, the first Friday of each month, 10 pm to 1 am Tickets required.

▪ Hospitality/Industry Night is every Wednesday, 20% off the food menu. Up-to-date proof of employment is required)

▪ Tuesday Wine Night, 50% off select wines.

For more information, visit https://thechateauonthelake.com/sarasota/ or call 941-238-6264.