Jessica Biel Says Motherhood Gave Her New Perspective on Upcoming Restaurant Au Fudge

Jessica Biel's upcoming members-only children's dining club, Au Fudge, seems to be well on its way. Although the "SoHo House for kids," as it has been called in various publications, was slated for a Spring 2015 debut, the actress says it should open very soon in the old Smoke Steakhouse space on Melrose in West Hollywood.

In an interview with E!, Biel, who recently gave birth to a son with Justin Timberlake, discusses how motherhood has changed her business plan for the ritzy space. Says Biel:

I definitely do [have a new perspective]. When we started talking about this, I didn't have kids and so when they would say to me 'We need a place where we can go and have great food and feel confident where that food is coming from and a place where my kids have fun. This is missing.' And I'm thinking 'Sure I guess, I'm come hang out. We're always trying to find a place where I could join them, where friends who didn't have kids could join them, and I didn't get it. [E!]

But with the birth of her undeniably cute five-month old, the actress explains that she now understands how important it is to have a members-only, kid-friendly space with plenty of adults-only libations:

So that has been a real eye-opening experience for sure, I mean the whole project is different because I understand now how important it is, and how sort of a missing link it is in the marketplace for moms and for families and for dads. There are just very few options where you can go and really feel like you're trusting the food and you have a good time and it's beautiful and you feel really excited to go instead of like 'Oh I guess I have to go to only one of two options that I have on a Sunday with my family where the table next door isn't going to be annoyed because my kids sitting here.' So it's changed everything, really. [E!]

Biel also tries to backpedal on the membership component by explaining that the space is open to the public, although members-only nights still seem to be very much in play.

Au Fudge will open "sometime in the near holiday" with a marketplace, two dining rooms, and a kid's creative space, rife with an indoor/outdoor treehouse and all.

Au Fudge
9010 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90048