Among the original culinary concepts SSP is introducing to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is L’Estivale – a premium dining concept created in partnership with two-Michelin starred chef Mauro Colagreco.
As the gateway to the picturesque French Riviera, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport has a crystal-clear vision – to deliver an airport journey as exceptional as its surroundings. As part of an all-encompassing development that will transform its terminals for passengers, the airport is embarking on a large-scale commercial renovation, which over the next two and a half years will see the creation of a truly original retail and food & beverage offering, aiming “to provide the most surprising commercial experience in a European airport”.
In a consultation launched by Aéroports Côte d’Azur Group in the summer of last year for the overhaul of its culinary services, global food & beverage expert SSP was awarded an €180 million contract to operate 10 outlets at the airport for the next 11 years, including L’Estivale – a premium dining concept created in partnership with two-Michelin starred chef Mauro Colagreco – and the first Jamie’s Italian in France. The deal saw the company taking over the operation of two units in Terminal 1 in January of this year, and it will open the additional outlets in Terminals 1 and 2 respectively during the course of 2015
and in 2017.
The coming together of international and local brands is central to SSP’s original F&B experience, and alongside on-trend brands like Denmark’s Joe & the Juice, will be regional favourites such as Chez Pipo – a Nicoise institution infamous for its ‘socca’, a speciality chick-pea flour pancake.
“Capturing the spirit of the region and highlighting the best of its cuisine was top of our minds from the beginning of this project,” explained Gérard d’Onofrio, Managing Director, SSP France, Belgium, Netherlands. “Our ambition is to give passengers the opportunity to extend their stay on the Riviera with food and drink that is quintessentially ‘Côte d’Azur’. We feel that we have achieved this by introducing some of the Riviera’s most iconic brands – Tarte Tropezienne and Chez Pipo – and also by working with Mauro Colagreco, who is famous for his creative Mediterranean cooking. We have also made sure that our products will be sourced locally, and to showcase the best from the region.”
Today SSP operates F&B outlets in Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Lyon-Saint Exupéry airports, and is now developing its business in Nantes and Bordeaux airports. “This new business at Nice International Airport represents another major step in the airport sector for SSP France,” d’Onofrio said, “and secures our position as the leader in the French market.”
