Sentimental restorer

Soccer always

As is often the case in the kitchen, it all begins in childhood. Few people practice this profession without having had a foot in the restaurant business from an early age. Pierre-Alain Brodard’s mother was a waitress… at the Café du Marché. Even if the link was made many years later, the affection for this establishment is undeniable. “I can still remember sitting on my bar stool waiting for her to finish her shift. It’s hard to forget the smell of the poule-au-pot served every Sunday. I was fascinated by this environment and the restaurant business quickly became part of my DNA.

His desire to become a chef was thwarted by his father, who resolutely prevented him from doing so and steered him towards a career in soccer. Impulsive, the young talent could have made a career as a professional player, but his outspokenness kept him away from the boots. Any regrets ? “No” he replies with conviction before resuming. “Everything I’ve done in life I don’t regret. I’ve built up my projects and chosen a career path that has always fulfilled me “. For 20 years, he juggled between the grass pitches of Etoile Carouge and the balance sheets of his fiduciary.

White tablecloths

In 2000, Pierre-Alain Brodard’s mother took over the Café des Négociants in Carouge, and three years later she asked her son to join her in the adventure. This was a godsend for Pierre-Alain Brodard, who was looking for a change in his life. Even though the business was sold to Philippe Chevrier in 2008, the magic worked and the owner enjoyed returning to a profession that favours human contact. After a return to accounting, he took over Café du Marché in 2015. “I feel the need to be close to my customers. In fact, I often draw a parallel with soccer and team spirit. If you’re on your own, it can’t work on a day-to-day basis. Even if no-one is irreplaceable in a company, you have to know how to put your colleagues first and make room for others.

With Mathieu Van Coppenolle in the dining room and Nicolas Bouiller in the kitchen at L’Olivier de Provence, he knows how to surround himself with talented individuals who are worthy ambassadors of a gastronomy where the product is king and the seasons are king. Taking over this second Carouge institution is just as symbolic as his first. Born into a working-class family, Pierre-Alain’s father took his family out to dinner once a year… at theOlivier de Provence. “As a child, it was the only time we dined on white tablecloths,” he recalls with emotion.

Support

Like all his colleagues, Pierre-Alain Brodard’s establishments have been hit hard by the health crisis. This is a major blow for the entrepreneur, who is going through a difficult period. “Both psychologically and physically, Covid-19 has left its mark on me, and I’m still trying to repair it. Unfortunately, we’re not out of the woods yet. He continues to draw on his intellectual and financial reserves to keep his spirits high. Today, he’s rebuilding and remotivating himself. Sensitivity and emotion have always driven Pierre-Alain forward, not forgetting his wife Marylin, who has been his unfailing support for 40 years. His message is very clear: he will end his days in a bistro. The later the better…