Monaco Now - Beefbar: a Monaco success story

Voted the world’s most beautiful historic restaurant, Beefbar Paris perfectly illustrates the success of the Giraudi Group, which has been based in Monaco since the 1970s and promotes a new type of restaurant.

Founded in the 1960s by Erminio Giraudi, the Giraudi Group initially specialised in meat imports and exports and became one of the leading European companies in the sector, now selling more than 90,000 tonnes of meat a year!

French beef, Dutch veal, US hormone-free Black Angus, Japanese Kobe beef: Beefbar’s reputation is built on the quality and specialist range of its meats.

“The DNA of my brands was created in Monaco”
Read Riccardo Giraudi's interview

Diversifying its expertise, the family-run group gradually expanded into the restaurant business.

Under the management of Riccardo Giraudi, Erminio’s son, the first restaurant to be established was Beefbar Monaco in 2005, initially designed to showcase the exceptional meats imported and exported by Giraudi.

The steakhouse was soon emulated, and Beefbar now has a presence in six countries, with locations in Mexico City, Tulum, Meribel and Malta. And it was in Hong Kong that Beefbar picked up its first star in the 2016 Michelin Guide.

Located in the building that housed the former Fermette Marbeuf restaurant, renowned and listed for its Belle Époque winter garden, the Beefbar Paris, close to the Champs-Élysées, was honoured by more than 500 designers from all over the world at the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards. The award – Heritage Building – commends the restoration work carried out by the Monegasque interior architecture firm Humbert & Poyet.

“The design allowed intimate spaces to be created within a vast area. The contemporary updates respect the building’s history while offering a fresh, modern perspective,” explained one member of the jury to the press.

The Giraudi Group owns around 40 restaurants across the world, including the legendary Paris destination Anahi, in the Marais. Eight of its locations (including Mozza, La Salière and Song Qi) are in the Principality, offering Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Mexican cuisine. “Monaco is my laboratory.

It’s a mini world where I like to test things,” says CEO Riccardo Giraudi, smiling.

The family-run group has also expanded into fashion with two companies: Fashion Factory, specialising in end-of-line stock from the major Italian brands (Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino, etc.), and Miss Bibi, a jewellery brand created by Brigitte Giraudi.

It has also developed a number of collections, including with Pantone.

Interview

“The DNA of my brands was created in Monaco”

Riccardo Giraudi is the President and CEO of Giraudi Group. A specialist meat importer, the Monegasque family business first diversified into the restaurant trade 20 years ago. Interview.

Today, there are around 20 Giraudi restaurants all over the world, created from Monaco. How has your experience in Monaco helped to foster this growth?

It’s so strange that you’re asking me this question, as I’ve just given a class at the University of Monaco on this very topic. It is largely thanks to Monaco that our restaurant concepts have been so successful throughout the world! The DNA of my brands was created here. I believe that Monaco sparks an image in our collective unconscious which is synonymous with luxury and glamour. Even when it comes to my more casual brands, the fact that they originated in Monaco makes it easier for me to export them. Customers here are more diverse and demanding than in other countries. That’s always helped me to excel… It’s not that these factors have made it easy to set up abroad, but they have facilitated the process.

Which is the restaurant you are most proud of?

Beefbar. Quite simply because it was my first success, and because it’s the brand that connects my original trade with my passion for restaurants. In addition, Beefbar is now the brand that gives me the most opportunity to be creative, thanks notably to the crazy number of signature dishes that I’ve designed with my chef, Thierry Paludetto. We’ve been together since the beginning – that’s rare!

What developments have you got coming up next?

There are lots of developments coming up, even though COVID-19 has slowed some things down. First, abroad. Beefbar is set to open at the Cala di Volpe hotel in Sardinia, and then we’ll move on to Riyadh and Doha. In Monaco, I want to create a new southern brasserie concept, a Levantine place, and I’m opening my new Grubers this summer, still on Rue Caroline.
Then, I’m launching a dark kitchen – virtual restaurants focused on delivery, and a European-wide pizza concept. COVID has hit us hard, but it’s also given me a chance to reflect and to be really creative. I’m still optimistic.