Latest news with #Yohann
Forbes
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Restaurant Group Shaking Up Downtown Manhattan's Dining Scene
Yohann Pecheux and Gérald Barthélémy of St. Tropez, Lume, and Mino Brasserie. Given my job as a lifestyle writer who covers the latest news on travel, fashion, food, and more, I like to consider myself a person who's on the pulse of what's trending and worth the hype. On the restaurant front specifically, I'm the person who lets everyone in on what's hot, the reservations to get or not, and the secret spots to visit before word of them is out. How is it that I missed a trio of gems in the West Village where the vibe is buzzy, the food is excellent, the prices are reasonable, and the unpretentious service hits the mark? Now, I'm plugged in. Let me introduce you to the Italian eatery Lume, the Parsian-leaning Mino Brasserie, and the Provencal-influenced wine bar St. Tropez—three restaurants that transport you to the very places they're inspired by. St. Tropez is a nod to Provence. I've become something of a regular at these establishments and give this praise based on my firsthand experience. These are cool spots with a cool crowd to match and are always packed. As I told Yohann the last time I was at Lume for dinner, the restaurant is one of 'happy places.' You hear about hard-to-get reservations at places like Balthazar or Carbone, but a table at any of the three is equally hard to score, most of all on weekends. But behind any great restaurant, there's a story to match, and Lume, Mino Brasserie, and St. Tropez are no different. They're owned by Yohann Pecheux and Gérald Barthélémy. Yohann is from Provence and moved to New York 12 years ago with dreams of having a restaurant. 'I started out as a busser and just kept grinding until that dream became real,' he says. 'The West Village has a special place in my heart—it's where my journey in the city started, which is why all my spots are rooted right there.' Gérald is a chef who oversees the cuisine at all of the restaurants. He honed his skills under the renowned chef Éric Briffard at Hotel Vernet in Paris and comes from a small village in the heart of France. Gérald has been passionate about cooking since his early childhood and earned a Michelin Star in 2010 as the Executive Chef of the seafood-centric Le Cinq restaurant in Paris. I caught up with Yohann recently and learned more about their ventures. Our interview, which I edited for length and clarity, follows. Mino Brasserie is all about Parisian classics. Tell me about your restaurants and the concept for each. St. Tropez Wine Bar will always have a special place in my heart. Gerald and I poured everything we had into making it happen—time, energy, money, all of it. I had $300 left in my bank account. We really went all in. But it paid off—St. Tropez has become a bit of a staple in the Village. Gerald curates a menu that brings the flavors of the south of France to life. The vibe is super laid-back, with more than 30 wines by the glass, so there's something for everyone, no matter your budget. It's the kind of place where you can just be yourself, relax, and enjoy- welcoming, cozy, and always buzzing with good energy. After that, we opened Mino Brasserie—our take on the Parisian dining experience. Using everything we learned from St. Tropez, we wanted to create a spot that felt like stepping into a true French brasserie. What I've always loved about brasseries back home is how they bring people together—from CEOs to construction workers, everyone shares the same space, the same table vibe. Then came Lume West Village, and that one was a whole new kind of challenge. It used to be Extra Virgin—a neighborhood icon—so the bar was set pretty high. Since we already had two French concepts going, we wanted to take a new path. My wife's Italian, and I've always been connected to the Italian community (Gerald's grandma was Italian too), so we figured, why not bring something new to the table? That's how Lume was born—an Italian restaurant with a bit of a French twist. Lume's already making waves as one of the trendiest spots in the Village. The cocktail program is fire, thanks to our talented bartenders, and the space itself is unique—there's a U-shaped bar right in the center, which, as far as I know, is the only one like it in the neighborhood. It gives the place a social, lively energy that's hard to beat What sparked your entry into the restaurant industry? I've loved this industry since I was young. There's just something special about working nights—the vibe, the people, the energy. You meet all kinds of interesting characters, and no two nights are ever the same. I got kicked out of high school at 15 for skipping too many classes. My dad wanted to teach me a lesson about the 'real world,' so he made me get a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant. Joke's on him though—because instead of hating it, I totally fell in love with the restaurant life. What was meant to be punishment ended up being the beginning of everything for me. The outside of Lume. What was the core inspiration behind opening your first restaurant? How did that initial vision evolve into the group you have today? The idea for St. Tropez had been stuck in my head for a few years before it finally opened. Honestly, I was kind of obsessed with how I was going to make it happen. While I was bartending, I paid attention to everything—what people liked, how different spots were run. It all just stuck with me and kept feeding the vision. I wanted to create a place where people could relax, have a good time, and enjoy real, honest food with that Provence vibe. Every one of my restaurants comes from a mix of being in love with the space and imagining what I can bring to life in it. If I'm being real, it's the process of bringing a restaurant to life that excites me the most—way more than the day-to-day running of it. How has the downtown dining scene changed since you opened your first restaurant, and how has your group adapted to these changes? The dining scene in the city has changed a lot over the years. These days, the bar is seriously high—especially when it comes to the level of culinary skill out there. There's so much talent in New York, and diners are more curious, more adventurous, and more informed than ever. You can't just rely on a good location or a trendy concept anymore. The food has to deliver, the service has to feel genuine, and the experience has to mean something. That kind of pressure keeps us sharp. It pushes us to keep learning, evolving, and staying true to what makes each of our spots special. We actually love that challenge—it keeps things exciting. There's always a new place popping up, new ideas floating around, and it forces us to stay creative and passionate about what you're doing The inside of Lume. Your restaurants are always packed. What's the secret sauce that has enabled your group to grow and thrive despite the challenges of the restaurant industry? We respect our customers and genuinely care about our community. That's always been at the heart of everything. Even with inflation and all the challenges that come with running a business in this city, we keep pushing to make sure our prices stay fair without ever compromising on quality. Gerald and I are hands-on every single day, constantly searching for the best ingredients at the best possible price. It's not always easy, but we believe it matters—and I think that's something our guests really feel and appreciate. They know we're not cutting corners. We're doing our best to serve great food in a warm, honest space that welcomes everyone. Your menus often showcase French influences. Is there a specific region or style that particularly inspires your cuisine? What draws you to that? There are two big things that inspire our menus: the culture of Provence and the wisdom passed down from those who came before us. The way people cook, gather, and share meals in the south of France—it's all about simplicity, generosity, and flavor. And then there's the knowledge we've picked up from our parents, grandparents, mentors... those traditional techniques and values that still guide how we do things today. It's that mix of old and new, of culture and personal history, that really shapes what we serve. Every dish has a little story behind it. A spread of dishes at Lume. If a first-time diner were to visit each of your restaurants, what single dish would you recommend as a must-try that best represents the concept? If you're stopping by St. Tropez, I'd definitely recommend the Shrimp Aioli or the Sea Scallops—honestly, they're some of the best you'll find in the city. For Mino Brasserie, you can't go wrong with the Boeuf Bourguignon or the Tournedos Rossini—both are staples that really showcase what we're about. And at Lume, I've got a soft spot for the Whole Branzino, but if you're in the mood for pasta, the Rigatoni Burrata is my personal favorite .
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Yahoo
There's more to Cognac in France than its famous brandy
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). It's strange to be surrounded by vines, flame-coloured and curling as autumn progresses, but sampling seemingly everything except wine. It's even stranger, seeing as I'm in France. However, the southwestern region of Cognac is an anomaly — 98% of its vineyards are used for cultivating brandy. It's a drink that can perhaps feel rather archaic to some of us. There was always a bottle of Cognac — a brandy type that can only be made from select white grapes from the region — in my parents' drinks cupboard. It rarely made it out and was left to gather dust except for the occasions when I pilfered it as a teenager, drinking it heavily watered down. Contained in a beautiful mandolin-shaped bottle embossed with gold lettering, it seemed like a waste; but when was the last time you overheard someone ordering Cognac at the bar? Only 3% of the premium brandy is drunk domestically; its main markets are China (61.5 million bottles imported in 2023) and the US (58.4 million bottles). But Cognac looks set to lose a significant amount of sales from the former, which imposed a new luxury goods tax on European brandy last autumn. Could its potential demise have the same effect on this historic area of the Charente as the closure of coal mines in northern England and Wales? Even in states of elegant disrepair, though, the region's rural Renaissance-era Cognac châteaux stand more chance of retaining tourists than the UK's former pit towns. In the city of Cognac, at the centre of the eponymous region, I wander cobbled streets dwarfed by ranks of Cognac houses that resemble army barracks. But my first distillery visit, in fact, has nothing to do with brandy. 'This was France's first gin distillery,' says Yohann Thuillier, visitor centre manager at Citadelle Gin, which first opened in the southwest Cognac village of Ars in 1996. 'It predates any craft gin production in the UK.' The quintessential Britishness of a gin and tonic makes this surprising, but France has had a ongoing relationship with the spirit since the 'gin craze' of the 18th-century. And while the 1751 Gin Act restricted gin production to larger companies in the UK, small distillers endured across the Channel.'Over the last few years, the popularity of gin has grown in France, even though it was historically never seen as a premium spirit.' says Yohann. 'The craft gin renaissance has made gin fashionable, and high-end French distilleries have even made it desirable.' The UK's first craft distillery didn't open until 2008, when the Gin Act was repealed, whereas here in Cognac, several were up and running by then. Citadelle Gin started as a side hustle for Maison Ferrand, a Cognac house founded in Ars in 1989 by Alexandre Gabriel. Cognac, like gin in the UK, was subject to a lot of rules, meaning that Alexandre could only make it for six months of the year. Not one for rules, he decided to also start making gin, and set about planting his own juniper. It took five years of wrangling before he managed to persuade the French authorities to grant him a licence to produce the spirit commercially. Today, the manor at the distillery — a grand, cream-coloured limestone house with a tiled slate roof — looks over neat rows of squat juniper shrubs that resemble Christmas trees. Yohann next gives me a cocktail-making lesson, taking in blends that include a sidecar made with Cognac; a pineapple rum daiquiri using rum from Maison Ferrand's West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados; and a rhubarb and berry gin mixed with violet syrup. A simple Cognac and tonic meanwhile, is a revelation: warming, slightly syrupy and combining many flavours, pineapple and roasted hazelnut among them. Also bringing new flavours are Shandra and Bernard Gombert, originally from the French overseas territory of La Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. I visit the couple at Domaine de Pladuc, a former Cognac house a 25-minute drive south of town that they've converted into a gourmet guesthouse. Taking a seat in the kitchen, in front of the manor's handsome fireplace, we cut sheets of spring-roll pastry into triangles. Dried chillies hang by the stove. We shape the pastry into cones and spoon in a mixture of tuna, masala, garlic, spring onions and parsley. Once I get into the swing of it, stuffing and folding samosas has a meditative effect. 'Many people here still call La Réunion the 'Banana Republic',' says Bernard. The Gomberts and their children relocated to Cognac in 2021. Back on their native island, diverse dinner guests were the norm, including friends of Indian, Chinese, continental African and European descent. 'When slavery was abolished in 1848, the search for cheap labour for the plantations meant people came from all over,' says Shandra. The couple's cooking classes, says Bernard, 'are a way for us to show off our Réunionnais heritage'. When the samosas come out of the fryer, they're crisp and caramel coloured, and as I bite into one the hot tuna breathes out spice. A sharp, vinegary endive and walnut salad served alongside it cuts through the fat. As a nod to their new home, the Gomberts serve their samosas alongside a selection of Cognacs and a glass of Pinneau des Charentes, a fortified wine made from Cognac and unfermented grape juice. The latter is sweet, like maple syrup, and rounds off the samosas like a digestif. I travel half an hour east of town, through vineyard-patchworked countryside, to try something else I hadn't expected to find on the menu here: balsamic vinegar — traditionally from Italy. When Jacques Buffet's daughter married an Italian from the Modena region in the 1980s, Jacques was struck by the similarities between Modena and Cognac. Both regions had the same soil and grew the Ugni Blanc grape (or Trebbiano, as it's known in Italy). If balsamic vinegar thrived in Modena, surely it could be replicated in Cognac, Jacques reasoned. He began making his vinegars in the 1990s, selling them directly to chefs, before setting up his factory in 2004. Le Baume de Bouteville ages its vinegars in Cognac barrels, which are generally infused with three to four litres of brandy. I sample them during a tasting session: one has the flavour of honey; another has a Marmite-like savoury, earthy finish; and a particularly smoky one reminds me of bacon-flavoured crisps. We consume the vinegars drizzled over slices of comté and morbier cheese, like a jammy jelly. As samosas, gin and balsamic vinegar pave the way for Cognac's nouvelle cuisine, is there any hope for the brandy itself? Popular culture may be its saving. In the past 25 years, Cognac has become the drink of choice for US rap artists, namechecked in lyrics and appearing in videos by the likes of Busta Rhymes and Megan Thee Stallion. With a decline in Chinese sales seemingly imminent, Cognac's US popularity looks like a blessing. But perhaps the spirit's renaissance will be less about popular culture and more about rediscovering how we drink it. I think back to the neat gins I'd tasted with Yohann Thuillier. They were far from the budget versions beloved by British students, but even a premium product isn't easy to drink straight. And yet, like gin, when Yohann had mixed Cognac with tonic — Hysope, from Bordeaux, which comes in flavours such as elderflower, lemon and cucumber — the taste transformed into something beautifully complex. 'Very few people would drink gin neat,' he said. 'Just as very few people should drink Cognac neat.' Maybe this brandy never needed a rebrand, just an instruction booklet. Published in the March 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Observer
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
Young karate champion Yohann strikes gold
MUSCAT: Yohann Chacko Peter showcased his karate prowess by clinching gold at the 10th Shotokan International Open Karate Championship held in Muscat recently. The prestigious event saw participation from over 400 athletes representing 34 clubs across eight countries. The 11-year-old karate prodigy, a Grade 6 student at Indian School Bausher, secured gold in the individual kata (under-12 boys' category) and a silver medal in the kumite (under-12 boys' category). A dedicated martial artist, Yohann has been honing his skills since the age of four and currently trains under the Ali Al Raisi Karate Club. His winning streak had extended beyond Muscat — at the Bengaluru Kempegowda Cup 2025, part of the fourth National Level Open Karate Championship in India organised by the Traditional Karate Federation of India (TKFI). Yohann bagged gold in the individual Kata (10-11 years boys' category) and bronze in the Grand Kata Championship (under-12 category). Representing Kerala State, he competed against over 500 athletes from various states across India. Adding to his accolades, Yohann was recently honoured with the 'Excellence Award' at Padmatheertham 2025, an event organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Expatriates Association Muscat (TEAM) on January 17, 2025, at Al Falaj Hotel, Ruwi. The award, recognising his outstanding karate achievements in 2024, was presented by renowned Indian actress and playback singer Sreelatha Namboothiri. With an already impressive track record, Yohann Chacko Peter is undoubtedly a rising star in the world of karate.
