There were not many silver linings to the Covid lockdown, but one of them was that suddenly there was a much wider range of restaurants doing delivery. Of course, some did it better than others. “We never did delivery prior to Covid,” says Nicolas Budzynski, Global Operations Director of La Petite Maison (LPM). “We have always been a dine-in destination. But we were seeing restaurants and airports closing and revenue was not coming through the doors. We had to do deliveries, but we needed to create an experience that was as good as if customers were coming to the restaurant.”
The solution Budzynski and his team devised was to apply the restaurant experience to delivery. It began with the bag – the first thing the customer sees when a delivery arrives.
“We talked about how it would look if it was from the South of France, and came up with a tote bag of the sort you would take to the beach.”
But LPM went one step further, using that tote bag as a canvas, with staff who otherwise would not be able to work painting each bag with artwork inspired by the paintings on the walls of their restaurants.
When customers arrive in one of LPM’s restaurants there is an entree of tomato, lemon, olive oil and fresh bread on the table. So, each of LPM’s deliveries would go out with tomato, lemon, olive oil and a complimentary mini baguette. The menu was limited, with only the dishes that could sustain a delivery experience. To complete the restaurant experience at home, LPM even created a playlist, accessible by QR code, and provided a personalised note from the team with each delivery bag.
“It meant that instead of £1.50 per delivery, it cost nearly £10 but the response from customers was enthusiastic enough that we were able to keep our employees working and pay them accordingly,” Budzynski says. “This was a tipping point in how we looked at ways to stay within the La Petite Maison framework but continue to evolve as a brand.”
From the French Riviera to the World
LPM opened its first restaurant in London in 2007. A Mediterranean restaurant inspired by the French Riviera, it did not take long for its founders to realise that they had a winning recipe on their hands. Before long it was opening restaurants in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, and Miami. Today there are ten LPM locations around the world.
“Our international success is due to the quality and consistency of our food. It is unique and unlike the dishes you will find anywhere else,” says Budzynski. “Usually if you go to a French restaurant you will typically find the food is heavier, with lots of cream and butter. We use fresh, seasonal ingredients, vegetables, olive oil and fresh herbs. It is very digestible, light, colourful and fresh. This has made us who we are. We stand apart in our own category.”
La Petite Maison has carved itself a niche in the premium dining and lifestyle sector, a new yet classical taste that goes beyond the food and into the decoration and atmosphere of each restaurant.
“We are inspired by the Belle Epoque of the French Riviera,” Budzynski says. “We have the marble counters, the vintage mirrors, the wall panels. We have a lot of art, inspired by contemporary artists of the Belle Epoque in the South of France, but with a new twist from modern artists. Our restaurants are bright and light with colourful and striking paintings across the restaurant.”
In Every Detail
Ultimately, Budzynski puts it down to LPM’s attention to detail, not just in the food and the decoration, but also in everything we do, in the kitchen and the level of service we deliver.
“What sets us apart is our attention to detail, and focus on consistency. Before creating anything new it is important to get the basics right. We do the best we can in the best possible way,” Budzynski says. “The food is extremely consistent. We offer unique recipes that you cannot find anywhere else, be it in the South of France or elsewhere. The way we approach each dish is to make sure it is the best possible version of itself.”
Budzynski points to one dish as an example. Warm prawns in olive oil. Like much of LPM’s offering it is a very simple dish, but done very, very well.
“You will not find such a simple dish so artfully balanced anywhere else,” Budzynski enthuses.
Exactly the same approach is taken for LPM’s drinks menu. The wine list is chosen extremely carefully, with wines from France and the North of Italy, and LPM works with small producers to find the kinds of wine that customers simply would not be able to get elsewhere. Budzynski also tells us about the “Tomatini”, a tomato based cocktail crafted from fresh muddled tomatoes, white vodka, balsamic vinegar, a hint of sugar and garnished with a theatrical crack of fine black pepper.
The Tomatini, now one of LPM’s most prized assets, was created in 2010, leading the way for the savoury cocktail trend that has now risen to fame globally.
“It is an unusual cocktail,” Budzynski admits. “But 99% of the guests who try the Tomatini love it at first taste it for its extremely light and fresh flavour.”
This approach has led to LPM being recognised internationally as well as being vaunted through a host of awards. LPM Dubai was ranked eighth in the MENA 50 Best Restaurants Awards in 2022, and was number 76 in the World’s 50 Best extended 51-100 list in 2024.
“We give the best we can to our customers in every aspect of the concept,” Budzynski shares.
Looking to the future, Budzynski believes LPM’s focus on consistency, and the level of care it provides for the details to create a rich and unique dining experience, will continue to be its guiding stars.
“We need to ensure our existing locations are working properly and look at how we can grow and develop our concept,” Budzynski says. “We are also starting to think about diversification, creating new concepts. We have done well in the high-end and premium dining sector, but there is potential in the casual sector. We are generating a seafront concept, something that differentiates from the loud and rowdy beach club offering, but reflects that aesthetic with an atmosphere more in keeping with LPM’s MO. In the future, we might also look at larger projects in the hospitality world.”
But wherever La Petite Maison goes next, Budzynski will continue to focus on what makes the brand the success it is today.
“We have been very successful in all the markets we are in. The main reason we have achieved that is the attention to detail in everything we do,” he tells us. “A lot of businesses within our industry are focused on the decor or the entertainment, but the key reason people go out to a restaurant is to eat. That, combined with the French Riviera inspiration, sets us apart.”
