Save more than a restaurant!

“They didn't know it was impossible, so they did. "

The famous quote from the American writer Mark Twain could be perfectly suited to the project we are proposing to you here: To buy the business of our restaurant in the midst of the Covid pandemic. It's a bit of a crazy story. Against the trend. Something a little surreal. "And that's why we believe it! »

We (Anthony Bastiand and Christophe Platzgummer 43 and 45 years old so both young 😁 and experienced). Took over the L'ESCALINADA RESTAURANT on May 1, 2019. After all 10 months of operation and very promising beginnings giving a second breath to this real institution in Nice, we suffered a sudden stop that could be fatal.

Disappear or redeem?

Today, we have no other alternative than to disappear or buy back the business. The answer to this question depends only on the funds that we will be able to raise thanks to you. For the reasons discussed in detail below, we need financial help from all lovers of our cuisine, in order to be able to save this place steeped in history. Two months maximum to lend us 50,000 € (300,000 € ideally, but let's take it step by step).

Since the contributions are "meal vouchers," this is just a special cash advance. So don’t hesitate! It is no more and no less to save an institution of Nice gastronomy: a restaurant that has existed for more than 70 years, where everything is homemade or by hand, by local children. To perpetuate our culinary culture, to continue to delight the palates of Nice and perpetuate the desire to introduce it to visitors from all over the world who come to admire our beautiful city.

The context

No need to go into details again on this global pandemic, to review the resulting health measures, everyone knows that there are going to be a lot of restaurants that will never re-open again. For us it is very simple: if we do not manage to buy the goodwill, this business will disappear altogether.

https://nicepresse.com/confinement-institution-de-la-cuisine-nicoise-l-escalinada-en-peril/

https://www.nicematin.com/vie-locale/logc-nice-met-un-coup-de-projecteur-sur-les-restaurants-nissarts-impactes-par-la-covid-609064

So why save the Escalinada rather than another? It's up to you to decide. For us, there are 1000 reasons! It is impossible here to present all of our arguments and even if the exercise is complicated, we will modestly attempt to provide you with a summary: Everything is homemade or by hand L’Escalinada is one of the last places to eat where everything is homemade or handmade. The menu changes according to the seasonality of the products. Niçoise salad, octopus salad (all the details of our menu can be found on www.escalinada.com/pdf/carte.pdf), chick-peas salad, fried squid, fritters of courgette flowers, bagna cauda, red mullet with tapenade, cuttlefish in parsley, stockfish, tripe, stuffed pocket of veal, not to mention the gnocchi, ravioli, merda di can, stuffed, stew and the famous sheep testicles that we are the last to offer. A unique place L’Escalinada is a unique place. If we sink, we will probably see an umpteenth fast food or a soulless restaurant instead. We categorically refuse that! Today we have scarce know-how that tends to be lost. There must remain 3 restaurants in Nice which still offer the stockfish. The goal is clearly to save this establishment which has existed for 70 years and which is part of the culinary and cultural heritage of our city, of our County. Today, we are not afraid to say that we are on a mission to bring traditional Nice cuisine to life and survive, it must be saved and you can help us.

Our success.

We took over management on May 1, 2019. All the lights were green, but unfortunately, due to this virus, we could not exploit it for more than 10 months. We were in full swing. We were in the process of gaining the loyalty of many Nice residents, but also of bringing together a large number of regular foreign visitors to our beautiful city. Many large hotels recommended us and sent us their customers in search of authenticity. We were really relaunching a restaurant that had fallen asleep a bit. We strive to do this every day so that our welcome, our gastronomy and our quality of service are the best possible. The many feedbacks from our customers (new and old) were unanimous, enthusiastic and sometimes even dithyrambic.

Our determination is our passion.

We are soon coming to the end of the lease-management agreement we originally signed. Now is the time to redeem or to disappear. To redeem in order to be able to plan for the long term, even the very long term. Today, the financial situation is dire. We could give up. File for bankruptcy. Some have advised us. It would even be the easy way out, but we are stubborn. We are always here. We are not giving up. We are convinced of the validity of our work and our passion. This is our mission and renunciation is not part of our vocabulary. Because we believe in it. Because this historic restaurant deserves to be saved. Because this exceptional cuisine deserves to live. Because this brave staff deserves to continue. Because our involvement in this project is flawless.

Presentation of the partners and the team:

Anthony Bastiand and Christophe Platzgummer are two native children in their forties. They met in Monaco at Loews (now The Fairmont) in 1997. Both room clerks in their early days, they became friends and always promised to set up a business together in the future. After a few years where Christophe worked for many luxury establishments abroad (London, Switzerland, USA ...), Anthony took over and transformed L’Alcazar in Beausoleil for more than 12 years. Today, together with Eduard, Gaétan, François, Richard, Idriss, Jean-Pierre, Saïd and Samba, they form the heart of the reactor at 22 rue Pairolière, at the foot of the St-François Tower in Old Nice.

Counterparties and financing.

We need at least € 300,000 would be ideal, but let's start step by step.

This first step of 50,000 €, although essential and fundamental in the objective of the buyout, it will be the starting point of the project.

At the counterparty level, it's simple. We offer menus (starter / main course / dessert / brandy) on the basis of 50 € the menu. We have made several price brackets in order to be accessible to as many people as possible. Also knowing that we can give less "in free participation". This consumption will be spread over time according to the amount paid (see details). Each contributor will also be highlighted on the "Friends of the Escalinada" (or benefactors or Soci) wall which will be prominently displayed in our restaurant. It may then be time to create a "Club" to bring together all the members around one-off events, why not a birthday on the occasion of each May 1st, depending on the feedback we receive. We are appealing for each contributor to speak about it around him, his family, his friends, his professional circle. Small streams make great rivers and you who are already convinced of the success of this project, you can go and convince others by sending them this link. The link of a web page, synonymous with a symbolically much stronger, important and fundamental link, which unites us all: the Cuisine of Niçoise! This cuisine which represents much more than ingredients, seasons and know-how. This cuisine represents a way of life, a culture, a pride and a singularity, it is part of our common heritage. It is up to you to pass it on to future generations.

https://m.ogcnice.com/fr/actualite/41840/mobilisons-nous-pour-nos-restos

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