Twelve to fifteen seats, three nights a week, and a single five-course menu. With Scéna, Benjamin Breton is starting small. But listening to him talk about this new venture, his ambitions far exceed the scope of this first restaurant. “It’s first and foremost a meeting of minds,” the chef tells me. An encounter between Vittorio Cammarota and Roman Levchenko, two customers who became partners in a unique project. Owners of a building dating back to 1622, formerly known as the Château des Cologny, they’ve breathed new life into it with rare care.
5 bedrooms
As art and history enthusiasts, the two men carried out the restoration down to the smallest detail. Fragments of antique wallpaper were preserved, and their colors guided the design of the guest rooms. The windows were sent to Italy for restoration. Even the plantings were the subject of research conducted in consultation with the Geneva Botanical Garden. Modern and contemporary artworks now adorn this house, whose five guest rooms are already welcoming guests. Benjamin Breton was captivated not only by the property itself but also by its owners, their passion for hospitality, and their caring nature—qualities he recognizes in himself.
On the plate, the focus will be on transalpine cuisine, with an Italian flair inspired in particular by the Calabrian origins of one of the owners. A culinary journey that follows the Alps, from Austria to Italy. The menu will consist of two appetizers, a fish dish, a meat dish, and a dessert, depending on what’s in season. For the launch, the chef has announced that he will be cooking the meals himself through the end of the year, dividing his time primarily between this new location and Lucinges.
Neighboring barn
The next phase is taking shape in the neighboring barn, whose ceiling rises to fourteen meters. Ultimately, the project calls for additional guest rooms, an osteria seating about fifty, and a gourmet dining area with ten to twelve seats, designed in the style of a counter. This second phase has yet to be built. The opening also signals the direction Benjamin Breton wishes to take with Symbiote, his young, independent restaurant group: to create venues with distinct identities and bring together teams capable of bringing them to life. He intends to contribute his vision, structure, and creative energy, while allowing talent to take its rightful place. In Scéna, this ambition begins around a small table, in a house that inspired him to think big.
