For more than 14 years, La Petite Maison has been Dubai’s escape to the Riviera, with its French-inspired cuisine, signature beverages and joie de vivre establishing the little house as a big player among the hottest names in global dining on the buzzing culinary scene in DIFC and across the emirate.
From business lunches and romantic dinners to special occasions and apres-travail beverages, LPM has a buzz throughout the day and well into the evening, with strict two-hour table seatings keeping the clientele turning over and the queues down at this in-demand hotspot.
We recently caught up with Marco di Pietro, who took over as General Manager of LPM Dubai two years ago, to find out the secret of its success, and what’s still to come…
How have things been going here in Dubai?
We have many exciting projects in the pipeline and are looking back at over 14 years in the market. La Petite Maison Dubai opened in 2010, and I am both happy and humbled to say that the restaurant has retained its success over the years.
This is, of course, thanks in large part to the government. Dubai is a forward-thinking city, and with its many activations throughout the year, we see businesses thriving. In general, we observe increasing growth trends post-COVID, which are not limited to La Petite Maison alone.
We are grateful to have many regular guests. Many have been dining with us for over 10 years, which is not uncommon at La Petite Maison Dubai. The same applies to our staff. Many of our long-term associates have been with us since the day we opened. It is heartwarming to see our long-term employees greet our regular guests. It feels like they are welcoming family into their home, and this sentiment is reciprocated by our guests. They feel like La Petite Maison is their second home.
This success is reflected in our numbers as well. The restaurant has been overperforming year after year in terms of revenue and covers, with 2023 being the strongest year in its history. We expect 2024 to be even better.
What is the vision behind La Petite Maison? The standards, the scale and the turnover?
In simple terms: honest hospitality. Food, beverages, and people are the most important aspects. This relates not only to providing superb food and warm, friendly service to our guests, but it also extends to how we treat our associates and suppliers.
This commitment is reflected in our numbers: our guest satisfaction is at 90 percent, and our employee satisfaction is at 85 percent.
We focus on simple food with high-quality produce and place a significant emphasis on consistency. If we lack a certain ingredient to make a dish, we do not simply replace the ingredient and create the dish anyway. For example, we removed French fries from the menu some time ago because we were unable to source the right potatoes.
It is a simple dedication to food, service, consistency and training. And above all, people.
You have an intriguing training programme for staff. Can you tell us more about how you produce such a consistently high standard of employees?
The global training manager, with the help of the operational team on the ground, has drafted a tailored training plan that aligns with the vision and identity of the company.
● Cross-exposure: Before new joiners start the job they were hired to do, they undergo cross-exposure, where they experience all departments (reception, kitchen, back-of-house, front-of-house, etc). This training usually lasts two weeks but can extend up to six weeks depending on the position. While hospitality is a fast-paced environment and there is a desire to fill gaps quickly, we want new joiners to truly understand all departments, their colleagues, challenges, and the company they are working for.
Everyone participates in this, from the CEO to the general manager and the most junior staff. This approach fosters humility and team spirit. When I joined in 2022 as the new general manager, I spent my first weeks behind the bar mixing beverages, polishing cutlery in the back-of-house, and learning about our food in the kitchen. This immersion helps you understand how the business works and allows you to know the people better, rather than immediately diving into financial reports.
● Consistency: We have been in the market for 14 years, and consistency can only be achieved through training. We emphasise transmitting the company culture and helping our associates understand the brand vision.
● We also recognise that this generation learns differently. While in the past we used printed handbooks and pens, at La Petite Maison Dubai, we use a training application tailored to our needs, where staff can participate in various training sessions.
● Employee well-being: Finally, we value employee well-being and offer our staff a three-day weekend.
What are the future plans for La Petite Maison?
LPM now has 10 venues worldwide. We started in London in 2007, followed by Dubai in 2010.
This was followed by Miami and Abu Dhabi in 2017, Hong Kong in 2018, Riyadh in 2021, Limassol and Doha in 2022, and Las Vegas in 2023.
Most recently, we opened in Mykonos this summer. We are planning further expansions and have commenced plans in the European market.
We consider ourselves our own competitors, and one of our core values is to always seek improvements and work better on our brand pillars: food, beverages, and people.
In the years to come, we will continue to improve employee well-being with the help of our HR department and, of course, enhance guest satisfaction.
But it’s not only expansions we’re proud of; we also continuously add value to the guest experience at each venue.