Q&A | Jean-Pierre’s host-in-chief on Christmas in the Alps and his favourite spots to celebrate in Hong Kong
Jean-Pierre host-in-chief Marc Hofmann discusses fake birthdays, foie gras and why a little chaos makes a good night
The French bistro in Central has become a destination for celebrations. “It’s every night,” says Marc Hofmann, managing director of Black Sheep Restaurants who co-founded Jean-Pierre and named it after his father. He suspects at least a handful of birthdays every evening are fake – thrown for embarrassment’s sake – but is unbothered. “We do it with the same level of care and love,” he says. It’s people who are making fun of their friends in the same way his cousins used to playfully tease his brother and him as children.
Some diners have complained that all the birthdays are too much. The team’s response? Turn it up. “We’re not doing right by guests if we tone down the celebration just because we’re annoying someone else,” Hofmann says. “This is the ethos of the restaurant: it’s fête tous les soirs.” Party every night.
What did a special occasion look like for you growing up?
Chaos. I have a quite large family. We used to spend Christmas at my cousins’ in the Alps. For me, Christmas is about snow, the tree, presents, a lot of food and long days of cooking. These were my first memories of drinking wine. I was maybe three or four years old. It comes from my dad, who was an epicurean and would give us tastes of food and drink.
Tell me more about the people.