Front-of-house
Though Bistrot Bagatelle was founded in New York by business partners Aymeric Clemente and Remi Laba, the concept seems tailor-made for the Dubai demographic — food aficionados who like to party.
Operations manager Frederic Tenton says: “It’s a fun festive restaurant where you have your dinner and then the ultimate goal is to stay and enjoy the night.”
Bistrot Bagatelle’s design was inspired by a typical Haussmanian apartment with details such as the mouldings, wall sconces, crystal chandeliers, leather banquettes and the all-white interior which allows light to reflect around the room.
Tenton describes the space as: “French-inspired, homey and comfortable. It’s almost like you’re stepping into a 1920’s Parisian salon. We want people to feel at home.”
Most Bistrot Bagatelle venues feature a bar in the dining room, but here they created separate spaces with just under 100 covers in the restaurant and 70 in the lounge. This was done in order to keep the bar alive once diners leave the dining room and also allows for a space where guests can smoke without bothering diners in the main room.
The fit out was done by Atlas and Callin Fortis from Big Time Design Studios, a boutique design firm based in Miami, designed the project. Bistrot Bagatelle’s local partner was Creative Clinic. The design agency had worked with the same operator on other projects like Catch Dubai.
The entertainment programme is a big part of the Bistrot Bagatelle experience: “Tuesday night is our French night and then on Thursday and Friday we have a resident DJ. On Saturday we have a jazz night that we’re going to launch in the season. We’re thinking it’s going to be Bagatelle Unplugged so it’s going to be very chilled,” says Tenton.
“The goal is for every guest to come and enjoy themselves. We have the advantage of being able to push the music where you can have a great dinner and you can party and dance so this venue allows us to have that extra push of fun.”
Bagatelle has had a busy summer with a Monaco opening and the launch of seasonal venues in Ibiza and St Tropez. Are there more locations on the cards? According to Tenton: “That is something that the brand owners are yet to decide.”
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