Frances Gualtieri builds legacy of care, French flair
She served others first as a pharmacist at UNC Hospitals and later at her Chapel Hill restaurant, La Residence.
Frances Gualtieri ’73 spent the first two decades of her career in pharmacy, but as her family grew larger, she found an alternative way to provide care for others through food and hospitality.
Gualtieri’s journey into pharmacy began in high school, thanks to a chemistry teacher who worked as a pharmacist during the summer. He sparked her interest in pursuing pharmacy, which was further fueled as she continued to meet more individuals in the profession. “They were so focused and driven,” recalls Gualtieri, a graduate of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.
Gualtieri began her career at Eckerd Pharmacy, where she worked as a floater tech during her time as a student. Later she was a pharmacist and associate director of pharmacy at UNC Hospitals and administrative director of the North Carolina Association of Health Systems Pharmacists (now known as the N.C. Association of Pharmacists). Though her roles changed, her love of caring for patients and helping others remained the same.
Gualtieri is from a large family herself, being one of six sisters. Community and providing for others were always central to her life. As her own family grew bigger in the mid-to-late 1990s, Gualtieri shifted to a different type of caregiving, one that serves the community with food.
She and her husband purchased La Residence, a restaurant offering French-inspired cuisine. Originally built in 1929, the Rosemary Street building started out as a home and was later converted into a restaurant. La Res, as it’s known locally, has been a staple of downtown Chapel Hill for decades.
For Gualtieri and her family, this restaurant is about more than just food. Here, they created jobs for the community, fostered care and well-being through nourishment and provided an opportunity for the family to work together throughout the years.
Gualtieri’s care and dedication can be seen through the curated atmosphere of La Res. A local artist painted the vibrant art that decorates the walls specially for the restaurant. Gualtieri grows many of the herbs that are used in the kitchen, such as basil, thyme and oregano.
She also grows, picks and arranges the flowers that fill the small vases adorning the tabletops. “Aside from pharmacy, flowers are my second love,” she says.
Gualtieri is also known for hospitality that fosters connection. From her time as a pharmacist until now, she has always prioritized compassion and thoughtfulness. At La Res, this takes shape through her interactions with diners, from curating special events to creating custom floral arrangements.
Today, two of her sons work alongside her. The restaurant has become a family business and a reflection of Gualtieri’s lifelong commitment to nurturing others — through medicine, meals and moments of hospitality that stay with people long after they leave.
