Parisian restaurant Frenchie opens theatre-inspired London location
by Kim Megson | 10 Feb 2016
French artist and interior designer Emilie Bonaventure has drawn on her experience as a set designer to create an adaptable new restaurant in London’s Covent Garden.
A 19th century marble fireplace and theatrical staircase are the focal points of Frenchie Covent Garden, which has been designed to recreate the immediacy and intimacy of the crowded eateries in Paris’s garment district.
Frenchie was opened this month by chefs and restaurateurs Greg and Marie Marchand, the creators of several sister destinations in the French capital.
The 60-cover, two-floor restaurant and bar features whitewashed walls and exposed brickwork warmed by brass, copper and zinc elements, contemporary art works, colourful chairs and leather benches.
Bonaventure has designed the space so that it can be easily reconfigured like a theatre set, accommodating both large groups and individual tables. Art works and decorations will also be regularly rotated so that regular diners experience the restaurant in a new way each visit.
The menu at Frenchie Covent Garden will echo the Paris original, featuring simple bistro dishes using mostly British-sourced and seasonal ingredients and referencing Marchand’s experiences at kitchens around the world.
“With Frenchie, I wanted to create a lively, yet relaxed place where you want to come but most importantly return again and again,” said Greg Marchand. “I love London and I am so excited to have the opportunity to bring Frenchie over here and to feed on the energy, the diversity and the ‘richesse’ the city has to offer.”
Marchand opened the original Frenchie in an alleyway in the garment district of Paris in 2009. In the six years that followed he opened wine bar Frenchie Bar à Vins, sandwich counter Frenchie to Go and wine shop Frenchie Caviste.
The menu at Frenchie Covent Garden will serve simple bistro dishes influenced by Greg’s experiences in kitchens around the world, including in Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant in London.
Frenchie Covent Garden architecture design London Paris theatre Greg Marchand
Interior designer Emilie Bonaventure is responsible for the restaurant's stylish interiors Credit: Frenchie Covent Garden
Bass, copper and zinc features have been added to bring warmth to the design Credit: Frenchie Covent Garden
Exposed brick and whitewashed walls have been used to create a modern atmosphere in the restaurant Credit: Frenchie Covent Garden
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French artist and interior designer Emilie Bonaventure has drawn on her experience as a set designer to create an adaptable new restaurant in London’s Covent Garden. A 19th century marble fireplace and theatrical staircase are the focal points of Frenchie Covent Garden, which has been designed to recreate the immediacy and intimacy of the crowded eateries in Paris’s garment district. Frenchie was opened this month by chefs and restaurateurs Greg
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