Are exe chefs becoming dinosaurs? Chapter 2
(l. to r.) Sarah Benahmed, Sébastien Boulay, Franck Pelux
Congratulations to Franck Pelux, Sarah Benahmed and Sébastien Boulay for their first Michelin star at Lausanne Palace (Switzerland).
And my compliments to General Manager Ivan Rivier for having gone against most traditional approaches in the hotel business and embraced the philosophy to run each restaurant as if it was a standalone venue. Not just as an idea in principle but in actuality.
The traditional Executive Chef of the Palace – who did a fantastic job for over a decade – is not today the sole F&B star of the Palace, signing, running and looking after each F&B product or experience. Instead, the approach has been revolutionized, by giving the power back to each outlet and spotlighting each of the operators. Not one star – a team of stars.
At “La Table du Palace,” the young chef reports directly to the GM. He is empowered to run his restaurant and concentrate fully on each dish that’s being served. Not looking for a satisfying title or executive chef label on its jacket, the chef is dedicated to his restaurant only working at the pass at every meal period.
The second part of this success story is equally important. The service element is recognized as being as important as the food. Communication and PR focuses on both elements in equal terms which to me should become the norm in any modern hotel restaurant.
Sarah and Sébastien are recognized to be as instrumental as the chef himself. They run the dining room as if they were the owners of the restaurant with full support from the GM and the Palace Hotel as a whole.
Together this is a team of passionate people who have been given an opportunity – with or without the Michelin star – to bring the Palace into a new mode of operation that is well placed for the future.
Stéphane Bellon, founder, Studionomie, Geneva
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