La Petite Maison expands to Beirut

A branch of Nicoise-style restaurant La Petite Maison is set to open in Beirut by the end of 2011, the chain’s Dubai-based general manager revealed.

“We’re opening Beirut by the end of the year… in Le Vendome hotel on the first floor,” Cedric Toussaint told HotelierMiddleEast.com.

Toussaint was responsible for the launch of La Petite Maison in Dubai in August 2010, which he says will be the “training centre” for the new restaurant.

“[The Dubai restaurant] is the flagship for region, the flagship for the world actually,” said Toussaint.

La Petite Maison, which was originally a restaurant in Nice, France, is gradually expanding globally following the opening of restaurants in London and in Dubai.

Toussaint, who developed his career in high-end and Michelin-starred restaurants, was recruited to manage La Petite Maison’s expansion in the Middle East.

He said the growth strategy would be “slowly, slowly but surely”.

“Many restaurants are opening three in Dubai, three in Beirut, it’s too quick,” said Toussaint. “We’re opening one in Dubai, every year we want to do another, but to do each one properly one after the other one.

“There have been negotiations held for different La Petite Maisons,” he added.

La Petite Maison will join a collection of internationally branded restaurants and clubs entering the Beirut F&B industry, including nightclub Whiskey Mist, Argentinian grill Gaucho and Japanese restaurant Zuma, which is backed by the same company as La Petite Maison.