FARM TO TABLE: Agricola is the name of the new restaurant scheduled to open in late November in the location formerly occupied by Lahiere’s, which closed in 2010 after a 91-year run. New Jersey native Josh Thomsen, shown here, has been named executive chef. He brings years of experience from such culinary landmarks as the French Laundry to the job.

When Jim Nawn decided to open Agricola, a restaurant at the former Lahiere’s location on Witherspoon Street, he hired New Jersey native Josh Thomsen as executive chef. The “farm to table” restaurant, which will use produce from Mr. Nawn’s Great Road Farm and other providers, is targeted for a late November opening.

While Mr. Nawn has no plans to encroach upon Mr. Thomsen’s territory, he does know his way around a restaurant kitchen. In preparation for this venture, he completed an eight-month program at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. The course culminated with a six week internship at the restaurant Veritas, where the entrepreneur, who formerly owned several Panera Bread cafes, found himself “lower than entry level,” mopping floors and chopping vegetables.

“I had zero training as a chef,” said Mr. Nawn. “And frankly, I don’t have a lot of personal interest in cooking. But I do like to understand the details of the business I’m involved in. I did feel somewhat at a loss not having culinary training. It was a very valuable experience. No one there knew who I was, and that was good.”

Mr. Nawn was speaking by phone during a break from overseeing construction at the site. While the exterior of the old Lahiere’s restaurant, at 11 Witherspoon Street, still looks much as it did for the 91 years of its existence, it will change. “One side will look the same, while the other will be opened up, with more glass,” he said.

The interior of the building has been completely gutted. The branding firm Mucca Design and the architecture firm Seed Design have created a new look for the restaurant, which Mr. Nawn described as “light and airy.” The eatery will have a 16-seat bar and five different dining areas, including a private room. The kitchen will be in the storefront. “Josh is willing to be in a fishbowl,” Mr. Nawn said of his chef.

Mr. Nawn’s Great Road Farm in Skillman, where he lives with his wife and three sons, will provide as much local produce as possible for the restaurant. “Taste is what I’m delivering,” he said. “I’m not in a position to change the world, but I do think taste is enhanced by local sourcing. So where we can, we will source locally. We will grow most of the produce during growing season. For beef and chicken and other ingredients, we will hunt for somebody locally. But it’s all within reason. When we need a lobster or a pineapple, we’ll go elsewhere to find it.”

Chef Thomsen comes to Princeton from such noted restaurants as the French Laundry in Napa Valley, where he worked with Thomas Keller. He also worked at Michael Mina’s NobHill at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, and as chef de cuisine at Tao restaurant. He worked under Joachim Splichal at Patina in southern California. A New Jersey native, he was named a “Rising Star Chef” by StarChefs.

Mr. Nawn has lived in Princeton for the past 13 years. “My nature is that I’m into projects, so the idea of building a restaurant locally and having more of a constant hand in the business appealed to me,” he said. While he was not a regular at Lahiere’s, which closed in November, 2010, he was familiar enough with the longtime restaurant to know what it meant to the community.

“I saw it in its twilight,” Mr Nawn said. “I saw a place that was warm and that people had a lot of nostalgia for. I believe that a community feel in a restaurant is very important. That’s how I want it to feel. I hear people talk about Lahiere,’s, and I hear that. It felt like Princeton dined there. And that is one of the goals I hope to achieve.”