Popular Mille Fleurs restaurant in Rancho Santa Fe not for sale

By Joe Tash

The owner of Mille Fleurs, a Rancho Santa Fe dining institution, is anxious to quell recent rumors that he plans to sell the restaurant.

Bertrand Hug, who has owned the restaurant in the Rancho Santa Fe village since 1985, said the rumor has been circulating in recent weeks, but is completely unfounded.

“As long as I’m alive and kicking, I’m going to be here. This is my home. This is where I made a success of things and it will always have a close place in my heart,” said Hug, who also owns Bertrand at Mr. A’s in downtown San Diego.

Earlier this year, Hug and his wife sold their home in Rancho Santa Fe and purchased another, also in Rancho Santa Fe. He speculated that the home sale may have fueled the rumors.

He said both he and his wife have been approached by numerous people asking whether they are leaving Rancho Santa Fe, and even restaurant vendors have been talking about the rumor.

The untrue rumor is not good for business or employee morale, he said.

“It’s good to be talked about but not in that sense,” he said.

The couple’s new home is only about a mile-and-a-half away from their old house, Hug said.

He said a similar rumor started 13 years ago when he bought the downtown restaurant.

Such rumors can travel quickly in a small community like Rancho Santa Fe, he said. “It goes like wildfire.”

Later this month, Mllle Fleurs plans to hold its annual Oktoberfest celebration, complete with a special menu of German dishes, along with German beers and wines. The observance allows the restaurant’s long-time chef, Martin Woesle, to pay homage to his heritage, Hug said.

For more information about Mille Fleurs, visit www.millefleurs.com.