An idea that was cooked up in Paris has been turned into reality after a family realised their dream of opening a French restaurant.
In what is believed to be a first for the town, what was the Ephesus Lounge in Sittingbourne High Street has been relaunched as Mon Ami Brasserie.
Owners Klaudia, Natalia and Dawid Trelewicz with the Mayor of Swale, Cllr Karen Watson, during the relaunch of the Mon Ami Brasserie. Picture: Joe Crossley
After taking over the restaurant last year, the Trelewicz family have now not only changed its name but also the food that customers can expect.
Its head chef, Mihaly Kallos, will be serving French and Mediterranean dishes such as seafood, Donald Russell steaks, brochettes (meat, seafood and vegetables on a skewer), as well as vegetarian and vegan options.
The 33-year-old has a decade of experience working in French cuisine kitchens.
The new menu marks a shift away from the Turkish fare that was previously on offer.
Sittingbourne already has two Turkish restaurants in the town centre – Anatolia Kitchen & Meze Bar in the High Street and Galata Mezze in Station Street.
Mon Ami Brasserie, in Sittingbourne High Street, has a large outdoor seating area. Picture: Joe Crossley
Klaudia Trelewicz, who is manager of Mon Ami and the daughter of owners Natalia and Dawid, told KentOnline the plan had always been to rebrand and bring something different to the town.
But it has taken them around a year, as they wanted to settle in and see whether the idea was viable.
After receiving backing from customers, the family, who all live in Sittingbourne, put their plan into action and relaunched the restaurant on Saturday (September 6).
The 24-year-old said: “My parents have been in this industry for 27 years and over that time narrowed down what kind of restaurant they wanted to own.
“It was their dream to have a French Mediterranean restaurant after they visited Paris and now they have finally been able to do it.
Manager of Mon Ami Brasserie, in Sittingbourne High Street, Klaudia Trelewicz. Picture: Joe Crossley
“When it comes to the food, we want them to have something that Sittingbourne doesn’t have yet.
“And the cuisine we are bringing is not here.
“Our regular customers were very on board with the change throughout the year. Everybody who was hearing about it was telling us, ‘We cannot wait to have this in here because this is something that this place really lacks’.
“We are also going to change inside to a full-on French vibe in the future.
“I think the hardest thing for us as a family was coming up to the day [of the relaunch] and making sure that everything goes smoothly and everybody has a great time like they usually do.”
To declare the rebrand officially open, the Mayor of Swale, Cllr Karen Watson, cut a ribbon and was joined by around 60 people throughout the evening.
The restaurant employs six staff and has 30 tables. Bookings can be made via the Mon Ami Brasserie website.
Dining and Cooking