Creating a plant-based restaurant in a hotel that takes care of you inside and out.

Hôtel HoY PARIS

Site: www.hoyparis.com
Email: welcome@hoyparis.com
Address: 68 Rue des Martyrs, Paris (France)
Photos: Sophia Van dek Hoek

The Challenge

This project aimed to create a plant-based restaurant (called Mesa, the Spanish word for table) in a Parisian hotel that reflects the brand values and the founders' personalities, passions, and Latin American roots. In addition to being a hotel, HOY is an experience that focuses on the present, encourages a plant-based diet and promotes environmental awareness.
As the chef consultant with Lauren Lovatt, I have been involved with HOY since before they opened. I was responsible for food concept development, menu design, recipe writing, and kitchen manuals and training for the chefs.

Meaning “today”, and “the present moment” in Spanish, HOY hotel strives “to make every stay with them as unique as the guests who walk through their doors, because every day is a new exciting opportunity waiting to happen.”

Sustainable, vibrant, quality, natural, and aspirational.
To create a community with a greater awareness of the world and the environment, as well as a sense of self-care and peace.
- A menu consisting of 40 dishes, 3 smoothies, and 3 lattes that encapsulate and project the ethos of HOY.
- With seasonal ingredients and Mexican vibes, but paying attention to the city of Paris as well, these dishes were mostly gluten-free and avoided tropical fruits, such as avocado, which was used sparingly.
- Using techniques and ingredients that nourish our minds, bodies and souls.
With a laid-back sophistication and amazing aesthetic, the food needed to be elevated, refined, but accessible. Inspiring the city with a new level of plant-based dining. Both for hotel guests and Parisians.
It is challenging to create a menu in a city like Paris, which is well known as a culinary city and competes with other restaurants in terms of quality, not just in the vegan and plant-based scene, that stands out, focusing on flavours and aesthetics, being healthy and plant-based without being part of a narrative.