Fashion, design, architecture, gastronomy--Luxembourg does definitely not lack creativity and versatility when it comes to the joie de vivre. From unique little shops to innovative buildings, exotic cuisines and quirky bars, the grand duchy’s design and hospitality sector is constantly evolving and reinventing itself, reflecting the country’s multicultural landscape.

Needless to say that expats play a pivotal role in this regard. Whether coming to Luxembourg to study and opting to stay, following a loved one or moving for new professional adventures, what they all have in common is that they are arriving with bags full of ideas, enthusiasm and, most importantly, a constant desire to combine the cultures of their home countries and other places they’ve called home with the grand duchy’s traditions, constantly creating new exciting and multifaceted ways to foster the diversity of the country.

Among the many striking characters is Silvana Calmet, the Peruvian/Spaniard who owns Kay restaurant at Casino.

It was coincidence that brought Calmet to Luxembourg in 2016. Driving up from Barcelona in her old-timer to take part in a training course, she was stunned by the grand duchy’s tranquillity and promptly decided to stay. “From the very first moment I arrived in Luxembourg, I fell in love with the country,” she says.

Although she left her home country, Peru, in 2006, Peruvian culture and its cuisine have continued to play a crucial role in Calmet’s life, which is why she developed a desire to combine the richness of both Peru’s and Luxembourg’s cultures in a restaurant.

With a background in business and economics and after a brief stint in the grand duchy’s real estate, Calmet dared to take the plunge and make her dream of a Peruvian restaurant come true, first taking over the Simmer Stuff in 2019 before opening restaurant Kay inside Casino Luxembourg in 2020.