"Chez Léon" is now under French ownership

The end of an era on Rue des Bouchers: the famous Brussels restaurant "Chez Léon" came under French ownership this Monday. The establishment, founded in 1867 and owned by the Vanlancker family for six generations, was sold in its entirety to the Joulie group, specialists in Parisian brasseries.

© CHEZ LÉON

The curtain falls on a family saga spanning nearly 160 years: the country's largest independent restaurant is no longer Belgian. The French group Joulie has made its first foreign acquisition, taking over the building, the business, and the brand. Joulie specializes in traditional establishments. This family business, founded in the mid-1970s, owns a dozen renowned Parisian brasseries.

The Vanlancker family was forced to sell following a series of financial difficulties and personal tragedies. The establishment was severely impacted by the Brussels attacks, then by the Covid-19 crisis which resulted in losses of several million euros, not to mention the impact of successive salary indexations.

Added to this were also the financial difficulties of the neighbouring brewery, Aux Armes de Bruxelles, to which Chez Léon was financially linked and whose fate was to be sealed separately.

Despite offers from fast-food chains and other Brussels-based groups, Kevin Vanlancker indicated that the priority was saving the company and its approximately one hundred jobs. The Joulie group pledged to honor this commitment, demonstrating a desire for continuity without altering the menu, prices, or staffing levels under the current conditions.

The new owner's immediate objective is to restore the company to financial independence before considering further investments. However, the unions will maintain a close watch. Chez Léon remains a profitable business, with a projected turnover of approximately €13 million in 2025, and the restaurant serving an average of 10,000 meals each week.