The owners of a well-known harbourside restaurant in Weymouth are preparing to bid an emotional farewell after ten years running the business. Eric Tavernier and his wife Joanna, who run the award-winning Les Enfants Terribles, have revealed they intend to step away and put the restaurant up for sale after a decade in charge. The restaurant will not close immediately and is expected to remain open for the time being. Mr Tavernier said they anticipate trading “probably throughout this season, depending on when we find the right buyer.” He added that while they are looking ahead to new opp
The story behind the restaurant began years before the couple settled on the Dorset coast. They first met in Megève, where Mr Tavernier worked at an exclusive restaurant with the same name, located in a lively cobbled square.
The name Les Enfants Terribles originates from a play about badly behaved siblings and has since become a phrase used to describe someone known for rebellious or mischievous behaviour.
When the family later relocated to Weymouth to open a seafood restaurant, they felt the name still suited their venture. They said they liked the idea that “the mermaid and the pirate are the enfants terribles of the sea,” symbolising both their travels and the new chapter they were beginning.
Looking back on his time running the restaurant, Mr Tavernier said the part he has enjoyed most is interacting with guests.
Mrs Tavernier explained that her husband has an impressive ability to remember returning customers. “Eric has an incredible memory and can recall people’s visits in great detail — where they sat, who they were with and what they ordered,” she said. “Knowing that customers leave happy is what motivates him every day.”
Over the years the restaurant has also played an important role in the community, providing work for young people in the town.
“Many local teenagers have had their first jobs here during the summer,” Mrs Tavernier said. “Some even come back occasionally to help out alongside their regular work.”
The couple said the support they have received from customers over the years has meant a great deal to them. “Our customers have shown us as much care and appreciation as we have shown them,” they said.
Diners have often praised the restaurant for its welcoming service, high-quality food and picturesque harbour views.
The restaurant has even been highlighted by celebrity chef Rick Stein, who has mentioned the Weymouth establishment several times during his live show “An Evening with Rick Stein” at Weymouth Pavilion.
As for their future plans, the couple say they have yet to decide what comes next. With their youngest child preparing to begin sixth form, they are leaving their options open.
Having previously lived in places such as London, New Zealand, Granada and Abu Dhabi, they say they are ready to see where life takes them next.
As they put it: “The world is our oyster.”
