Do you know the FITZ group, which advocates the return of the French “art of living”? Interview with Guillaume Bénard, its co-founder and creator of living spaces in the heart of the most beautiful neighborhoods of Paris.
SORTIRAPARIS: Guillaume, can you introduce yourself for our readers?
Guillaume Bernard : Of course. I co-founded FITZ Group in 2016 after training in a hotel school in Switzerland. My first establishment, Fitzgeraldopened its doors in 2016 with a simple idea: to wake up a sleepy neighborhood (Editor’s note: the 7th arrondissement…) and infuse it with festive and warm atmosphere. Since then, the group has grown and today has five restaurants in Pariseach with a strong identity.
Your vision in catering: what inspires you the most in catering? What is the unique signature that you want to give to your establishments?
What inspires me above all is to tell a story through our places. This goes through cuisineof course, but also by reception et customer experience. Every detail counts: decorationTHE smellsthe dishes. Our DNA is to offer festive and refined atmosphere in places trendy where you feel good as soon as you walk through the doors. We seek to combine the French art of living with a touch of modernity.
Who surrounds you in development? Who are your key people and how do they help you build FITZ Group?
My partner, Nick Heysis a seasoned entrepreneur who manages the support functions and the structuring of the headquarters. For my part, I take care of development and the conceptualization of projects. We also have a team of artistic directors for each side of Paris, as well as a collaboration with renowned decorators as Sophie Lacroix et Lazaro Rosa Violán. Everyone brings their expertise to guarantee the consistency and theexcellence of our projects.
Customer Experience: If I am a customer at one of your restaurants, what unique experience will I have at each of your establishments?
Each restaurant offers a unique experience :
-- Fitzgerald : A refined French cuisinea ambiance festive and a hidden bar / speakeasy which surprises our customers (some have been coming to dine for a year… without knowing the existence of the bar!).
- Abstinence : An approach bistronomicwith dishes to shareof the biodynamic winesin a friendly atmosphere.
- Vesper : A French-Japanese cuisine with a sushi masterall in a frame elegant and exotic.
- Hollywood Savoy : And festive restaurant with a classic French cuisine and a basement clubideal for extend the evening.
- The Gaillon Fountain : Notre flagshipwith a magnificent terrace and private roomsproposing a traditional French cuisine sublimated by our chief consultant.
Who is the typical FITZ Group customer? What message would you like to convey to them?
Our customers are generally CSP+ aged 30 to 50who are looking for places where they can both lunch in a professional setting and come back for party in the evening. We attract a regular and demanding customerssensitive to quality of welcome and the overall experience. My message would be: come and discover our restaurants if you want to live a moment unique who marries Parisian elegance et the festive spirit.
Where do you see your business in five years? What are your wildest dreams for your restaurants, in Paris and beyond?
In five years, I would like FITZ Group account 25 establishmentsnot only to Parisbut also tostranger. We want to develop places merto the montagneand in destinations like Dubai or Monaco. My dream would be to continue creating memorable experiences while preserving thehuman scale which is the strength of our restaurants.
The final words for readers of Sortir à Paris?
Nothing replaces thelived experience ! Open the doors of our establishments and let yourself be seduced by theunique atmosphere who does the signature group living spaces Fitz.
