Couple left Dubai jobs to put up dream resto

CEBU, Philippines - Seeing positive prospects in Cebu’s casual dining industry, French chef Geoffrey Broutin and Cebuana wife Herley Herrera decided to establish a French-Mediterranean cuisine restaurant here.

The couple left their promising jobs in Dubai’s luxury hospitality industry to take advantage of Cebu's fast developing dining scene.

The restaurant called ‘L'Artisan French & Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant’ located at the Oakridge Business Park in Mandaue City, is the couple's dream venture they put up from the money they saved over the years.

Aside from seeing good business opportunity in food venture in the tourism-charmed Cebu, Geoffrey said his restaurant entry here also aims to develop the sophisticated culture of dining-out and enjoying food.

"We want Filipinos to stop eating by necessity but by pleasure. I want to make food make love inside their mouth," said the French chef.

Prior to moving to Cebu, Geoffrey worked as executive chef at the luxurious Meydan Hotel in Dubai. While his wife Herley was working at the human resource department of  Shangri-La Hotel Dubai.

L'Artisan is the couple's first venture together.

"We thought that there is so much to share to Cebuanos, especially in food," said Herley adding that their experience in luxurious hospitality service abroad gives them the confidence to offer something elegantly exciting to the growing array of dining choices of Cebu.

As a Cebuana, Herley said she understood the Cebuanos’ love-affair for food, as well as their appetite to explore on something new. This is also partly the reason, why they decided to stay in Cebu for good.

"We intend to elevate further the gastronomic experience by offering French & Mediterranean cuisine," Herley said in an interview.

L'Artisan offers dishes influenced by Geoffrey's over 15 years of kitchen experience. It becoming a destination for sophisticated Cebuano diners, including tourists.

"We are offering a five-star service in a casual way. We don't want to be classified as a fine dining restaurant, but rather a go to place for people who want to taste and appreciate good food," added Herley. (FREEMAN)