New owners take over beloved downtown Phoenix restaurant

When Gregory Cohen made a lunch date with his longtime friend, Eric Hassler, he expected to catch up and lend an ear to someone who had just been through a lot. Hassler’s wife of 25 years, Lori, died in July. Roughly a month later, he dropped off their daughter at college on the East Coast. 

Hassler owned the beloved downtown Phoenix restaurant The Farish House with his late wife, the chef known for her French comfort food plates, warm hospitality and infectious personality. Following a long battle, she succumbed to ovarian cancer at the age of 54.

After his wife’s passing, Hassler decided to sell the restaurant. At lunch, he told Gregory about potential buyers. They all wanted to make major changes or even gut the building, making it nearly unrecognizable. Cohen responded with his thoughts about the restaurant, which he and his wife, Kathryn, deemed their favorite. 

“If I ever bought that restaurant, I wouldn’t change a thing,” Gregory said to his lunchmate.

Hassler’s response: “Why don’t you buy it?”

That casual comment later became serious business. Now first-time business owners, the Cohens purchased The Farish House in November 2025.

“We always dreamed of having a restaurant with European comfort food, in an old house,” Gregory says. “It was our favorite restaurant and checked all the boxes as patrons.”

But it wasn’t without reservation at first. Gregory, who was born in Lyon, France, was close to retirement from a career in wine and beer distribution. He admitted he has an impulsive, adventurous streak. When he ran the idea by Kathryn, whom he calls “the sensible one,” it was met with silence. 

However, the next morning, Kathryn asked him to call Eric to explore the details. 

“Are you crazy? Are you sure about it?” Gregory recalls his response. 

“I’m not a risk taker,” Kathryn says, “so it was a big leap of faith. I kept thinking, this is our last career move, our last chapter, and what a cool thing to do.” 

Everything falls into place

Around the same time, Gregory and Kathryn’s daughter, Alexandra, was looking for a job in Paris, where she had been studying international business and marketing. She had hoped for a position in the food and beverage sector, ideally as a brand ambassador for a wine or champagne house. 

However, the Paris job market was dry. Neither she nor her friends were having any luck. 

When learning of what her parents were considering, she strongly urged them to take the plunge. Not only would it dovetail with her career goal, but The Farish House was also her favorite Phoenix restaurant. It made sense.

“We’d be the perfect people to do this,” Alexandra recalls thinking. “I felt we really could do it.” 

Kathryn planned to play a small behind-the-scenes role and let her husband and daughter run the restaurant. But five days before the transfer of ownership became official, Kathryn was laid off from a company where she’d worked for nearly 23 years. 

“This whole process was falling into place,” Kathryn says. “It was moving very fast, but moving very smoothly.” 

Gregory isn’t a spiritual person. But he gets emotional when talking about how everything came together.

“Something about this whole process…” Gregory says as his voice cracks and he chokes up. After a pause he adds, “… how odd everything fell into place… it felt like an influence from Lori.” 

‘We are the custodians for her dream’

The restaurant closed for its planned summer break from July 1 to 13, and then shut down for two days later that month in honor of Lori’s passing. Otherwise, the wheels kept turning and the restaurant remained open with Eric Hassler, other family members and longtime staff welcoming customers throughout the transition. 

Today, Gregory handles all of the operational duties, and Alexandra is in charge of marketing and works as a server. They both can be seen on the floor, greeting and serving customers nightly. They also take sommelier classes together. 

Kathryn does the finances and payroll and runs the Saturday afternoon tea service with Alexandra. Gregory and Kathryn’s son, Zachary, splits his time between working at Craft 64 in downtown Chandler and at the family business, handling various support staff duties.

“People are happy this restaurant is staying family-owned and that we aren’t changing anything,” Alexandra says. “I think it’s what the customers are wanting and hoping to see.”

They also kept the entire staff, five of whom have worked at the restaurant since the day it opened in 2018. Gregory and Kathryn say they have been embraced as family. 

Like many of Lori’s friends, the group’s connection began as a professional one. Gregory met Lori when she owned Scottsdale restaurant Radda-Caffe Bar and he was a sales rep for a wine and beer distributor. They immediately hit it off. He found out Lori grew up in Tempe, like Kathryn, and they both went to McClintock High School at the same time. Soon, they were all friends. 

“We loved Lori so much. Her ideas, recipes and whole concept, they were perfect,” Gregory says. “The way we see it, we are the custodians for her dream.”

Alexandra was home from Paris when Lori lost her battle with cancer. 

“We were all devastated when Lori died… we were able to grieve together,” Alexandra says. “For me, it was the first time someone so close to my family had passed away.” 

A lasting legacy

A passionate Francophile, Lori incorporated her love for French cuisine and culture into meticulously crafted plates that became her signature, like duck confit with cherry mostarda atop cauliflower-potato purée.

She balanced elegant dishes with relaxed sharables like ratatouille and her version of mac and cheese made with cheddar and parmesan béchamel.

Dishware in assorted patterns was among the personal touches that broke restaurant uniformity rules and pushed nostalgia and familiarity, making guests feel like they were dining at a family member’s home. 

All of these unique characteristics exuded uncommon charm and an inclusive vibe that both first-timers and regulars found welcoming and memorable. 

True to Gregory’s word, every aspect remains the same, from the decor and eclectic diningware to the recipes and dishes focused on France.

There have been some additions, like the incorporation of a few of his family recipes, such as the Coq au Vin they served for New Year’s. Gregory is also using his wine acumen to add more by-the-glass options. The restaurant will host wine dinners, with the first scheduled for March 24 and featuring a French supplier. 

Kathryn says customers have thanked them for saving the restaurant and keeping the place just like home.

“We’ve always hosted people at our house and have big family gatherings,” Kathryn says. “As a family, we love welcoming people into our home, so it feels natural being there.”

Alexandra adds with a laugh, “…only with a hundred people every night.” 

‘Lori would’ve wanted it that way’

Before Eric Hassler had that course-changing lunch with Gregory, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do with the restaurant. And he didn’t feel good about the prospects whose plans meant erasing all the work Lori put into making her dream a success. 

But when Gregory called Eric the next day, he couldn’t be more sure of what direction would be best for The Farish House. 

“They just want to keep it as is. They wanted to keep Lori’s legacy,” Eric says of his friends of more than 20 years. “I was just overjoyed, and I couldn’t be happier about how it worked out.” 

Over their two-decade friendship, the couples watched each other’s children grow up. Knowing that The Farish House will continue to be run and loved by a family near and dear to them is a feel-good ending, Eric says. 

“Now, their family photos will be on the wall next to Lori’s,” he says. “I think it worked out the way it needed to. I think Lori would’ve wanted it that way.” 

The Farish House 

816 N. Third St.