This new address in Paris's 11th arrondissement has been stirring up the capital's summer evenings. Now that the warm weather has clearly left Paris, Acumen caught up with the chefs behind this bar-restaurant, a veritable cry of love to French bars and PMUs.
Bertrand Chauveau, co-founder and head chef of Le Cornichon, recalls: "We absolutely didn't want to be seen as two young service people creating yet another concept . Today, the former student of the Ferrandi hotel school is quite satisfied: "The gamble has paid off, because three-quarters of the people who enter our bar think it has always existed. " And with good reason: this new Parisian eatery, which has the look and feel of a traditional neighborhood bar, is only a few months old.
Flashback. On leaving Covid, childhood friends Bertrand Chauveau and Paul Henri decided it was time to make their "childhood dream" a reality. "I'd been working in gastronomy from the start, but it wasn't what I wanted to do. We wanted something that suited us better. But we've always had a passion for rades and bar-tabacs . In their search for the place of their dreams (where they really wanted to offer tobacco, but settled for a Française des Jeux corner), the two companions were somewhat disappointed when they found a former bar-restaurant in the 11th arrondissement that had nothing to do with the epinal images of the INA.
Laure Gravier and Soizic Fougeront of interior design agency Claves recall: " The boys were quite taken aback, because the place had no charm whatsoever. The floor was parquet, the walls and ceiling had a rather mediocre blue paint job, and the bar had some sort of modern ceramics; in short, nothing was right, and there was nothing interesting to keep. They were afraid, because they wanted to give the place a soul . The two interior designers, who had previously worked for Pierre Yovanovitch, had to rethink everything: "What we didn't want was a place that was too influenced by a particular era. What we like about bars-tabacs like Janette or L'Étincelle is that they've been cobbled together from the 1930s to the present day, and they're full of codes from many different eras. The result is a truly recognizable style .
When it came to furnishings, the two interior designers also had an imperative: "We wanted this bar to look old, without having a brocante look. We did a lot of searching, but it was impossible to find a set of 96 chairs in skai and chrome, so we designed bespoke chairs, just like the tables and banquettes. " Another highlight of the space is the red and white frieze that encircles the establishment: " It features a smoke scroll motif that dances around the room. It's important because it establishes the place . This coquetry echoes the lacquered ceiling and neon curve. A mosaic adorns the floor, while a bar, inspired by "all those Parisian Formica bars", is adorned with travertine, wood or lacquer-effect laminate. " We designed the space in a very structured way, with real architectural rigor. This is counterbalanced by the curves in the backs of the benches and the neon lighting on the ceiling. A subtle play of contrasts to "give the eye an impression of rightness".
But back to the table. The menu is structured around two propositions. First, the weekly offer: "The dish of the day changes every day, but will be the same every week ", explains Bertrand. So, every Friday this summer, Le Cornichon delighted us with its breaded fish and white cabbage salad, and an orange blossom financier for dessert. " It's a very affordable offer, with a menu at 22 euros. I really enjoy having titles that are ultra down-to-earth, really like at the canteen, with 'tomatoes stuffed with rice pilaf' and period. " With no false modesty, the man who worked at Jean-François Piège's Grand Restaurant and then at David Toutain's, before heading up the kitchens at Garance in the 7th arrondissement, says straightforwardly: "We're not reinventing the stuffed tomato, but we do it extremely well." He explains, with a smile in his voice: "The aim of the game, the credo of the establishment, is to do the simplest things well, which are often the most complicated things. With my executive chef, Hélène Rinck, who was with me at Ferrandi, we have the same baggage, and we love doing these classic dishes perfectly. "
As for the menu, the chef presents it as a play on traditional, bourgeois cuisine, with dishes such as soupe au pistou or tournedos Rossini. Summer menus give way to a comforting cabbage and smoked sausage potée, a vermicelli soup, or a raclette plate for the evening, followed by a very regressive banana split ice cream.
Le Cornichon 2, rue des Goncourt, Paris 11th arrondissement
