PAPABOU, the raw soul of the Geneva burger by César Steffen
A native of Corsier, César has never followed a linear career path. First on building sites, then on the lake, between business school and engineering school, he explored relentlessly. Finally, it was in the restaurant business that he found his field of expression, after obtaining a license at the Cours de Cafetiers and passing through the École hôtelière de Lausanne.
A 180° turn
In 2017, he co-founded Toasted, a modern toast concept. But the adventure soon took another turn. César takes over the restaurant alone, pivots towards the smash burger, and creates PAPABOUan address focused on homemade food, where everything is prepared on the premises. The toast bun quickly became a bun, the menu became more limited and the quality went up a notch. César likes to have his hands on every detail. The restaurant now only opens at weekends. The rest of the time, he runs his own construction company. A compulsive creative, he confides: “I need to create, otherwise I get bored.”
Natural wines and childhood memories
At PAPABOU, no soda. The burger is paired with natural wine, selected by César from winegrowers. For him, there’s nothing more important than meeting people and really appreciating the product. The sourcing is precise, local and sincere, right down to the ambience of the place, which is in his image: raw, real, assumed, with walls left as they are.
And the name? A nod to his grandfather, nicknamed PAPABOU by his cousins who, frightened by the family Newfoundland, would cry out: “Papa! Bouh Bouh bouh! An emotional heritage that fits perfectly with the spirit of the place.
A head full of projects
And what about tomorrow? It’s hard to imagine César’s thoughts on the future. He’s already working on a local sauce brand, scheduled for the end of the year. He’s thinking of other addresses in Switzerland, but he’s keeping to one clear guideline: don’t rush into things, and always focus on quality.
In the meantime, Geneva weekends now have a very special taste: homemade burgers and breads, served with carefully selected natural wines, in a sincere, raw and resolutely singular place. Welcome to PAPABOU.
