Chiche!, already a favourite among lovers of Levanese food, is opening a fifth address in a unique setting: the museum of modern art (Mudam). The principles remain the same, however. Namely, a convivial atmosphere with homemade Lebanese cuisine alongside a social approach: the restaurant staff are migrants and refugees on their way back into the labour market.
“Taking over the management of this restaurant was a great opportunity for us,” says Marianne Donven, who, along with Pitt Pirrotte, is behind Chiche! “It’s also a great challenge, because we’re targeting a more demanding clientele and offering a catering service, something we’ve never done before.”
Open-ended contract
After the departure of Glow--which had been slated to be a pop-up from the beginning--from the Mudam Café, it was Chiche! that secured an open-ended contract, says a cheerful Donven.
The menu is a little narrower than at the Limpertsberg location, the emphasis being on business lunches as well as brunches on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, but you can still order falafel (€18.50), lentil salad (€17) and Veggie Arais (€15). For brunch, customers can choose from no fewer than seven options (including quinoa salad, shakshuka, avocado toast and oriental omelette) ranging from €15 to €18.50.
“The biggest challenge for the Mudam Café, as far as we’re concerned, is the catering,” says Donven. “We had never done this type of service before and we had to create mignardises and verrines to meet it, as well as learn how to serve in cocktail mode. It’s a challenge, but we’re taking it on with pleasure and enthusiasm.”
The kitchens have been entrusted to Moudi Alzaher, who is also a partner. “Moudi has been working with us for a long time and our aim is that, in time, the staff will be able to become their own bosses. We’ve already taken this approach with the restaurant in Bonnevoie, and we’re doing it again here at Mudam.” So while Donven, Donven’s son, Pitt Pirrotte and Moudi Alzaher are currently the restaurant’s four partners, the aim is for Alzaher to take over the whole establishment in the near future.
More Chiche! is coming
In addition to this opening, a sixth location is also in the pipeline. “We hope to be able to open a sixth Chiche! at the beginning of June in the cultural centre at Bettange-sur-Mess, in the municipality of Dippach,” says Donven. “There will be a big TV screen to follow sporting events and we hope to recreate that ‘village café’ atmosphere.” The team is currently working on the decor. “As with the other restaurants, we’re working with donations of tables, chairs, carpets, paintings… the aim is to be able to spend the money we earn on wages to employ even more people, not on goodwill or decorating the restaurants. I’m most proud of the fact that I now employ 70 people, and my aim is to reach 100 before I retire.”
However, the Leudelange address will have to close at the end of the year. “We’re currently looking for a new location, because we’d really like to continue the adventure and not lose the customers we’ve had so far. The call is out!”
This article in Paperjam. It has been translated and edited for Delano.