Producer Spotlight: Three Little Pigs Charcuterie

Les Trois Petits Cochons (Three Little Pigs) has been making quality, French-style charcuterie since 1975.

The Beginning: Les Trois Petits Cochons Opens Its Doors in Greenwich Village

Les Trois Petits Cochons is the brainchild of two masterful French chefs: Alain Sinturel and Jean Pierre Pradie, and the constant adventure which eventually brought them to the United States. What they created was the result of initial shared experience cooking in a high-end kitchen in London. The duo loved cooking, but they wanted to set out on their own. Inspiration struck when the two packed up and spent time traveling around Africa- tasting food, visiting villages and, most importantly, cooking. Alain and Jean Pierre met people from all over the world, getting inspiration and experience from their cultures, until finally they went their separate ways. Alain returned to France and continued to prepare traditional French cuisine while Jean Pierre made his way to America.

Alain Sinturel and Jean Pierre Pradie. Image source: Three Little Pigs.

Fate, however, wasn’t having it. They ran into each other one day in New York City and decided to create their own concept, something completely revolutionary at the time in 1975. Back then, French was considered “ethnic” food; the only place you ate French cuisine was in a high-end restaurant, and of those there were only a few. Regular people didn’t have access to French food, but Alain and Jean Pierre brought it to them. With the help of an American backer (the third pig), Les Trois Petits Cochons opened its doors in Greenwich Village as the first “fast-casual” establishment serving traditionally high-end French fare; it rocked the city within a short period of time. Alain and Jean Pierre were able to create sophisticated French options in a take-out setting, adapted to American ingredient offerings and palates.

Listening to Their Customers

Rave reviews and immediate interest catapulted Les Trois Petits Cochons to success after their initial start in 1975. Their first menus included a mixture of pates, salads, quiches and more sophisticated plates like coq au vin and Boeuf Bourguignon. Alain and Jean Pierre made all of the pates in small batches, by hand in the 300 square foot space after waking up early to search the city for fresh, high-quality ingredients. In 1975, it was hard to find some of the authentic ingredients that they needed to make traditional French food, but the duo never sacrificed on quality and consumers were hooked.

Eventually, chefs began requesting them to supply pâté in bulk quantities to serve at their restaurants. Many chefs did not have the time, skills or resources to make the authentic pate which Alain and Jean Pierre were perfecting. These initial requests helped Les Trois Petits Cochons evolve into what it is today- the leading creator of authentic pates and charcuterie in the United States. While they may no longer make French dishes in a take-out environment, the company has remained true to their intention, and to CEO David Kemp, “to thoughtfully innovate whenever it will best serve our loyal fans.” To Les Trois Petites Cochons, that means taking the step to become the first organic pâté company in the United States. Like when they started, innovating the New York City food scene, they continue to innovate the food landscape.

Image source: Three Little Pigs.

Check out Les Trois Petits Cochons's incredible selection of French-style delicacies on their website!