Intimate European Dining

During his career Chef Paul Harpin has rubbed elbows with Hollywood’s elite, well known politicians and many famous rock stars.

It’s a life that took him from a homeland thousands of miles away...to come to Macon.

For the last 30 years, he’s been delighting the taste buds of central Georgians.

Chef Paul Harpin’s life long affair with cooking started 40 years ago in London, England with musical ties in the world of Rock & Roll.

Paul actually worked for Mick Jagger and his choice was to work for the rock legend full time or come here to Macon.

It was yet another musical connection that convinced him to leave England in 1974 to make music in Macon’s kitchens.

Paul had a friend at Capricorn records, Frank Fenter who kept saying we needed a good restaurant in Macon. So they decided to open a restaurant downtown,
“Le Bistro”.

Paul fell in love with Macon when he came, but it was sort of a cultural shock.
Likewise, his menu was a shock for many Maconites,
who were used to southern cooking.

Paul introduced food like veal, lamb, kidneys, and stated that when he cooked fish, he left the head on and that sort of freaked people out.

But just as he grew to love Macon...the city grew to love his food.
Paul has been called the pioneer of European food in Macon in 1974.

Today, Chef Paul is feeding the grandchildren of customers that he met in 1974.

Now customers can find him whipping up his specialties in his own restaurant,
“Paul’s Bistro”.

“Even if they don't see me, they know I’m back there and sometimes I just wave,
but that's very important, especially if your name's on the food.”

A name and food that will always call Macon home.