Montrachet creator returns with art deco-inspired French restaurant

Not for Thierry Galichet the quiet life.

Galichet is best known as the creator of Montrachet, the storied French restaurant now owned by Clem Chauvin. But he also created La Cache a Vin in Spring Hill (which he sold in 2022 to Romain Maunier and Dan Arnold), and for a long time had an expansive wine import business.

In short, he’s done his time in the industry and could be forgiven for putting his feet up. Instead, though, he’s opening another restaurant. Pas de Chichi will open in the old Mecca Bah premises at the Emporium complex in the Valley in late October.

“I’ve been offered a space maybe once a month – people are always ringing,” Galichet says. “But I might not be ready for one reason or another. And I’ve looked at taking over other restaurants, but I don’t really feel comfortable doing that.”

Pas de Chichi will recall elements of Montrachet – counter dining “done properly” will be a feature, and a few menu elements will be similar – but it will be even smaller than Galichet’s original restaurant (when it operated in Paddington), with room for just 30 guests (although there will be space for 24 outside). Galichet is looking after the fitout himself.

“Montrachet for me was the best restaurant I’ve ever had,” he says. “It was really, really good.

“Not that I wanted to copy it, but it’s similar in feel. I just wanted it to be more art deco, this one.”

Pas de Chichi is both riding on the wave of a renewed interest in French food in Australia, and a reaction to it. Galichet says he’s going to avoid the dishes that have become commonplace on menus in recent years.

“Everyone’s doing snails, soupe a l’oignon – I won’t put on an onion soup for another two years because it’s everywhere.”

Thierry Galichet

“I’m not going to do souffles for a while,” he says. “Everyone’s doing snails, soupe a l’oignon – I won’t put on an onion soup for another two years because it’s everywhere.

“Menus are getting shorter and people are doing share food. You go to a restaurant and there might only be five entrees sometimes. So I’m doing 10 entrees, six mains, four desserts, and a cheese platter. I know the chefs will freak out but I said, ‘Don’t worry about it.’”

The wine list will be concise, at least for Galichet, with between 80 and 90 reds, and 60 whites.

“I used to have huge lists, but a lot of wines now just stay on the shelves … it looks good on paper but what do you do with it after 10 years?

“It will be a mixed list. I’ve kept in touch with winemakers that are very good friends of mine. I used to bring in three containers a year but it was just a nightmare. So many people are selling wine now. There are French wines everywhere.

“There’s a lot of beautiful wine out there without needing to pay $1000 a bottle.”