Police probe threats against owners of French eateries

Jace Radke and Mary Manning

Thursday, April 10, 2003 | 11:09 a.m.

Metro Police are investigating a threat made against one of Las Vegas' oldest French restaurants, and the owners of two others say they also have received a number of threatening messages since France's opposition to the war in Iraq.

Andre Rochat, owner of Andre's, at 401 S. Sixth St., has filed a police report in connection with a telephone threat received at the restaurant, which opened in 1980.

"I was worried about my customers and employees, and now the police are handling it," said Rochat, who has been a U.S. citizen for 30 years.

Metro Police would not comment specifically on the threat, saying only that there is an ongoing investigation by the department's gang unit, which investigates what are called "crimes of bias."

Rochat would not go into the details of the threat, except to say that the person who called left his name, address and phone number, which he turned over to police.

"We're aware that certain biases exist in the community, and while it's one thing to have them, it's another to act on them and break the law," Metro Police Lt. Vincent Cannito said. "These types of crimes are not tolerated by Metro Police, and they are taken very seriously."

Rochat, who owns a second Andre's in the Monte Carlo and another restaurant, Alize at the Palms, is regarded as the first chef to bring authentic French cuisine to Las Vegas. He began by opening a French bakery on Maryland Parkway near Flamingo Road about 30 years ago.

"It's a shame that people think that the French people are responsible for what their government has done," Rochat said. "It's the same here with our government.

"People wave flags and yell, and I wonder how many of them would go to defend the borders (of America) if they were called. If I was needed I would go."

Reggie King, general manager of Pamplemousse on East Sahara Avenue, said the restaurant had received a couple of threatening faxes, but the police were not notified.

"I've received a couple of 'idiot faxes,' " King said. "I just disregarded them."

King said he threw the faxes away without reporting them to authorities.

Bernard Calatayud, the owner of Bonjour restaurant on Eastern Avenue at Pebble Road, said the anti-France phone calls and faxes he received touched a nerve with him.

Calatayud and his wife Marie came to the United States about four years ago from the Pyrenees Mountain region of France, he said.

"We live total American lives," he said at his restaurant Wednesday. Their daughter is a senior at Silverado High School, he said.

"I'm a 100 percent American," said Calatayud, who has applied for citizenship. "I don't take any orders from the French government; that's why we came to America."

A waiter reported to Calatayud about a week ago that a customer complained after seeing the flags of France and the United States flying together side by side at Bonjour.

"We started flying the flags together after Sept. 11," he said.

One person called and asked if the restaurant is an authentic French establishment, Calatayud said.

"When I say, 'Yes, we are,' the caller replied, 'Then we are going to help you go bankrupt,' then click," Calatayud said.

Calatayud said his business is down about 30 percent, but it's unclear if the decline is due to the war and anti-France sentiment or the weak economy, he said.

"If I have to lay off employees, it is hurting the American economy," Calatayud said. "It's called a French restaurant because of the way we cook. When we serve a filet mignon, it's American beef. Even French wines are bought through American distributors."