22 Mar Our story: genesis and opportunities

In the beginning, our story takes place in 2006 as a tale of the Thousand and One Nights… in the land of tales of the Thousand and One Nights, in Dubai. And in the desert, it is well known: in France, we have no oil, but we have ideas.

 

Olivier Blin runs an event agency in Paris, specializing in the design of bespoke events. His envy? Transform the ephemeral into a permanent, and make the most of your creativity. Of course, Dubai is the perfect playground for this.

 

The country is full of surprises and contacts that will serve later. After that, sand will flow…

 

10 years later, in September 2016 in Paris, a contact from Dubai asked us to set up an unusual dinner show on the Palm Jumeirah.

 

The appetite coming by eating, therefore the craving is back.

 

The small peppercorn has sprouted… It had become obvious: we had to have our own international structure.

 

 

 

March 2017: the idea

 

Imagine concepts of experiential restaurants, put them in pictures, and offer in parallel associated consulting services around the culinary world in general: the idea is there.

 

(*) Experiential: aimed at making the customer live a memorable experience, through the search for new emotions and sensations.

 

Olivier has three major skills. A unique combination, the result of both his life and work experiences:

• stage designer, with a mastery of specialized tools for 3D visual creation
• event agency director – the feasibility of a creative idea is his main concern
• and highly qualified in French classic restaurant and hotel management

 

So it will be Pepper. The peppercorn that raises the “flat” (both the plate and the 2D …)

 

Valérie Bernard his partner will then be Madame, for the feminine and French touch. At the head of her own digital strategy agency Gimme Social Web, she is also personally passionate about cooking, rather healthy.

 

We choose as our emblem a dark red pepper (simply the one that sits in the middle of our kitchen!).

 

For us, it obviously symbolizes both spice and precision. In addition, the object is known all over the world, and also well representative of the culinary world.

 

 

 

 

Summer 2017: the launch

 

First, we create and illustrate 24 international concepts of:

• Experiential restaurants
• Leisure places
• Dinner-show

 

We divide these concepts into three categories: Urban, Landmark, Show.

 

In June in Paris, we make a first inaugural presentation of these concepts to a group of experts.

 

Our “test” audience consists of business leaders, international collaborators, financiers, tour operators, investors and some friends playing the role of “Candide”. The welcome is particularly good, even excellent and comforts us in our ideas and choices.

 

In August, we file the brand and the first concepts. To anticipate the future, we are also creating Madame Pepper Consulting LTD in Mauritius.

 

At the end of September, the first version of the official website is online and we start from there an active prospecting via Linkedin.

 

The project is becoming more and more concrete… Our story is moving forward!

 

 

 

The journeys of our history

 

In December 2017 we go to Dubai to present our first concepts. The reception is enthusiastic; The French Touch has its effect… Urban concepts have been a hit: Dubai is indeed the city of all superlatives.

 

In March 2018, we leave for 10 days in targeted prospecting in Mauritius. The pace is steady: 2 to 4 appointments per day.

 

First of all, we meet with leaders of the high-end local hotel industry. Our ideas challenge and seduce our audience at every appointment. Moreover, the quality of the visuals we present is always recognized and admired.

 

However, we quickly understand that Mauritius is not Dubai. Here we will have to imagine concepts less “urban” and much more oriented “resort” and seaside.

 

It’s done when we then return to the island in May 2018, with 15 new ideas put in pictures.

 

Again, we listen and remember what we were told… And again, we are improving our knowledge of the country and its needs.

 

 

 

Mauritius is a plural island enriched by its many origins and cultures brewed together throughout its 400-year history. Tolerance and respect characterize inter-ethnic relations, as the national motto illustrates: “One people, one nation”.

 

Despite the disappearance of sugar quotas, the Mauritian economy remains flourishing and growth is sustained. Today’s development is focused on new technologies, tourism, finance and residential investment.

 

For our part, all the lights are green! And our concepts are well developed.

 

 

 

The beginning of our Mauritian history

 

For various personal reasons, we have to stay a few more months in France before we can finally fly to the Indian Ocean.

 

We remain particularly attentive to local economic signals. There are many projects for the development of the island. Whether it’s in terms of tourism and/or real estate investment, not to mention everything else, especially in smart cities.

 

Madame Pepper Consulting continues to mature and grow in parallel… Forced to wait, we think about the best way to present and adapt our different offerings to the local market.

 

Above all, we find it increasingly essential to put the Mauritian back at the heart of Mauritian projects. In terms of experiential catering offerings, and this is what we will be keen to offer in the coming months.

 

It’s official now! Our story starts in Mauritius in early August 2019, in Grand Baie.

 

We are ready to surprise, amaze, innovate, in short tell your stories with our tools.

 

Please feel free to contact us, we will be happy to exchange with you on any of our respective ideas.