After Le Yaca, the Saadé family takes over Le Petit Nice
Edouard Amoiel
13 novembre 2026
After three generations and nearly 110 years of family history, Le Petit Nice is set to change hands. Gérald Passedat is handing over his iconic Marseille restaurant to the Saadé family. The announcement has come as a shock and raised some questions about the future of this institution of Provençal haute cuisine.
Founded in 1917 by Germain Passedat, expanded by his son Jean-Paul, and then elevated to the pinnacle of French gastronomy by Gérald Passedat, Le Petit Nice Passedat, in Marseille, is about to change hands. After four decades at the helm, the chef has decided to pass his restaurant on to the Saadé family, who have deep roots in Marseille.
3 stars
In 2008, Gérald Passedat became the first chef to earn three Michelin stars in Marseille, establishing a culinary style entirely focused on the Mediterranean. His famous “marine vegetable garden”—as he likes to call the sea—has allowed him to introduce diners to dozens of species of fish, some of which are little known, and to champion a culinary tradition deeply rooted in his region.
For the new owners, this acquisition is part of a strategy to invest in the luxury hotel sector. The Saadé family, which heads the shipping giant CMA CGM, had already purchased the Le Yaca hotel in Saint-Tropez in 2024. This marks a new step in the development of a portfolio of prestigious properties, raising questions about the family’s culinary ambitions.
The future…
But what will become of Le Petit Nice? Gérald Passedat will remain involved in the restaurant’s future as a special advisor to the Saadé family. However, there is no confirmation that he will step down from the kitchen. The restaurant will welcome its last guests in late January 2027, before undergoing a transformation whose details have yet to be finalized.
Beyond this transition, it is also the future of a certain type of Provençal haute cuisine that raises questions—that of the great establishments shaped by chefs whose cuisine is inextricably linked to their history and their region. Their transition into the hands of new investors does not necessarily spell their decline, but it raises a crucial question: how can this identity be preserved as those who built it gradually pass the torch? Only time will tell.
