Gourmet Brothers: “History is written now”.
Benjamin Luzuy first came to public attention as founder of the catering company Gourmet Brothers and his many other projects. In this fabulous entrepreneurial story, he is accompanied by two protagonists whom it’s time to highlight. Alongside him, his sister Marie Luzuy and his friend Paul Cassigneul are the benevolent, protective and complementary souls who have turned a crazy culinary dream into a group employing over a hundred people in the space of fifteen years.
Port Gitana, a reality
Under a gentle sun and breeze, we meet the trio on the terrace. Two computers and three laptops are on the table. When one of them speaks, the other two pull out their phones. Messages, e-mails, solicitations of all kinds; a multitude of questions to be answered before moving on to the next. This is an important moment for the Gourmet Brothers group; announced for the summer months, the opening of the Auberge du Port Gitana is now a reality. A first on Swiss soil for this major hotel project, and a decisive step forward that puts Gourmet Brothers in the big league. Eighteen rooms and suites, over a hundred seats in the brasserie… all on the water, with views of Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc.
Despite the pressure of such an opening, the trio keeps a cool head and refuses to give in to the hype generated by such an event. A former executive with the Richemont Group, Marie Luzuy has always followed her brother’s entrepreneurial projects and joined the company in 2016. “I wanted diversity and to be out in the field. It was Benjamin who told me to join the adventure. It all happened very naturally,” she confirms. Beyond the family aspect, they quickly understood the complementarities that could emerge in the development of the group’s business. Paul Cassigneul, a former graduate of the École Hôtelière de Glion, will join the group in 2019. “Even if opportunities often come from Benjamin, we always study the feasibility of proposed projects together. We are very complementary in our way of seeing things, and we each bring our own contribution to the Gourmet Brothers edifice”.
The revealing Covid
The joint adventure continues and intensifies in the midst of a health crisis. The trio closed ranks and positioned themselves as a key player in the catering sector, despite the surrounding restrictions. “We were extremely reactive, keeping in touch with our customers. We offered recipe boxes that we delivered to our customers, complete with video tutorials. We were a feel-good factor during a gloomy and difficult period, and we optimized this time to become stronger,” recalls Marie. By consolidating their presence despite the pandemic, Gourmet Brothers has further established itself as a leader in the world of events, albeit on a small scale during this period. “In terms of results, we achieved twice as much sales in 2022 as we did in 2019,” says Paul.
As soon as the health restrictions were lifted, everything came to a head for the gourmets, who never expected such a resurgence. “We felt like we were climbing Everest with only three weeks’ preparation and only flip-flops on”, Benjamin jokes. A rock-and-roll period that further united the trio of entrepreneurs at the helm of a booming company. One mandate followed another, and one development opportunity followed another. They learn to take a step back, sometimes to say no, and to temporize. “I’m a Mr. Yes! Obviously, I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve come to realize that my entrepreneurial hyperactivity can sometimes jeopardize an overall structure. Doing everything all the time isn’t always possible. I now have a more pragmatic vision of my business”.
Pride, consecration and milestone
To manage all opportunities and projects, Marie, Paul and Benjamin set up operational steering committees. These discussion forums are essential to the smooth running of the company. With the arrival of Port Gitana, events now account for half of Gourmet Brothers’ sales. “Aside from the fact that some of our group’s entities are growing, there are very few hotel and catering projects today that don’t have a lever in the events sector”.
“It’s a great source of pride for Marie. “A consecration” for Paul. “A decisive step” for Benjamin. The words come thick and fast when we talk about the opening of the Auberge du Port Gitana in Bellevue. The location is unique, and expectations are just as high. The Gourmets Brothers live up to their name: brothers and sisters of the soul who never stop undertaking. Let’s wish them all the best for the future…
