Michelin-star chef to open two outlets in Beirut

French Michelin-star chef Yannick Alléno will open his first restaurants in Beirut, Lebanon in October this year.

The two concepts will be contemporary restaurant S.T.A.Y — Simple Table Alléno Yannick and traditional French tea room Sweet Tea.

S.T.A.Y — Simple Table Alléno Yannick is designed to offer “the original way of tasting French cuisine”, with guests encouraged to share the culinary experience in a casual and friendly atmosphere.

Yannick Alléno said: “With the S.T.A.Y, I wanted to get rid of the gastronomic and service complexity to create a contemporary restaurant in a trendy and cozy environment. The food is then a creative interpretation of my cuisine, refined, ingenious and mastered.

“Having established S.T.A.Y. in Dubai and Morocco, I am excited to bring this concept to Beirut.”

A highlight of the restaurant is expected to be the Communal Table, which can seat six to 10 guests and will have a dedicated, customized menu.

S.T.A.Y — Simple Table Alléno Yannick will also include a Pastry Library. Designed as an alternative to the “common open kitchen trend”, it will display French patisseries and enable diners to interact with the pastry chef.

The restaurant is designed by French architect agency Moatti & Riviere and includes a bar designed as a suspended boat.

Moatti & Riviere also designed Sweet Tea, which is “trendy, glamorous and girly” and inspired by the jewelry souks at Solidere.

French pastries will be served in “huge and miniature” sizes — for guests to either “satisfy a selfish pleasure” or share with friends and family.

Yannick Alléno was awarded three Michelin starts for his work at Hotel Le Meurice in Paris in 2007 and established Group Yannick Alléno in 2008 with the aim of offering his skills to hoteliers and food professionals.

Since then, Alléno has taken over the F&B at The Royal Mansour in Marrakech and collaborated with One&Only Resorts on the F&B offering at One&Only The Palm in Dubai.