Resident Magazine: THE MASTERMINDS BEHIND BAGATELLE

By Nina Kullmann.

With outposts in every major jet set party city around the world, Bagatelle is known throughout the world for their boozy brunches filled with the beau monde. This quintessentially French Mediterranean hotspot can be found in NYC, Dubai, Sao Paolo, Rio, St. Barth, Miami, Punta del Este, St Tropez, and opening this spring in Monte Carlo, bien sur. Opening in time for the famous Monaco Grand Prix and summer Cote d'Azur season, we spoke to Bagatelle's co-founder, Remi Laba on his secret for success and how Bagatelle has become a magnet for the rich and famous, attracting the international jet set crowd for over a decade.


RM: What was your original concept for Bagatelle?
RL: In 2007 we wanted move from our background in nightlife to something more restaurant driven and we basically wanted to create a restaurant that is very European; that resembles both myself and my partner, Aymeric Clemente, as we are both French and from the South. We thought that bringing this essential environment into an urban destination like New York could be fun. That was the initial idea. Secondly, we wanted to make sure that world hospitality was at the forefront of the industry because we felt that customers felt that they needed to thank the owners or doormen to get into trendy restaurants, which we thought that was a bit strange. We always believed that restaurants, whether its owners, its staff or anyone involved, should be very grateful towards guests, no matter how successful the restaurant is. We also wanted to create a trendy restaurant with a spectacular atmosphere that is also known for their great food.

RM: Can you tell me what makes your restaurant unique?
RL: What makes us successful is that we don’t take our success for granted; we provide a very authentic experience of dining in the south of France. We make sure that any time a customer comes in they have an experience and not just a meal. We try to constantly also make them feel special and recognize them for the business they give us. Finally, I think that our success is built on staying fresh constantly, not staying still and making sure that everything evolves, including the menu. As we keep opening other venues, we still have a very neighborhood-like feel. We make sure that we know our guests, and remember them. These are all the reasons why Bagatelle is so successful.