After months of rumors and negotiations, Philippe Schmit has officially signed a lease at BLVD Place for a new signature eatery called Philippe Restaurant and Lounge.
Set to open this summer, the restaurant will feature a swanky lounge and outdoor seating area on the ground floor and a main dining room, 600-square-foot terrace, and high-end private dining room on the second level that will serve as the chef’s personal culinary playground, all with a warm, contemporary vibe. The A-list duo of architect Shafik Rifaat and interior architect Lauren Rottet will be bringing the concept to life.
“It’s not going to be a rehash of Bistro Moderne,” Schmit says, comparing his new venture with the restaurant that put him on the map in Houston. “Philippe is going to be much more accessible and much more casual. It’s taken a lot of patience and drive to get here, but the result will be my dream restaurant tailor-made for Houston. It’s a passion project.”
The food will employ classic French techniques focusing on simplicity, attention to detail, and execution, but imbued with a sense of "playfulness." For his director of operations, Schmit has reunited with Ludovic Poirier, who served in the same role at Bistro Moderne.
