Thierry Galichet is returning to hospitality with a no-fuss French bistro
No fuss, no frills, just good French food. That’s the philosophy behind Pas de Chichi, Thierry Galichet’s new 30-seat bistro set to open in Fortitude Valley this October. Offering a menu filled with the chef’s greatest hits, a wine list featuring France’s finest and top-tier service at its heart, it’s a return to the kind of hospitality the chef knows best. Here’s what you need to know …
By his own admission, Thierry Galichet has never been good at being idle.
After selling his storied Spring Hill restaurant La Cache à Vin to Romain Maunier and Dan Arnold in 2022, you’d be forgiven for thinking Thierry had hung up his apron and picked up some golf clubs. But the renowned chef, who is also famed for establishing French-inspired icon Montrachet in 2004, just can’t stay away from hospitality.
“I don’t like sitting around doing nothing, it’s not me,” Thierry says. “I have to have a project. I’d rather be with people.”
So, Thierry Galichet has decided to open a new restaurant.
In October, Thierry will open the doors to Pas de Chichi – a humble French-style bistro currently taking shape in a portion of the old Mecca Bah space at 1000 Ann in The Valley. While this is sure to be big news for foodies, the colloquial French expression the restaurant is named after is typically used to convey a conscious attempt to avoid pomp and circumstance.
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“Pas de chichi means ‘no fuss’ – you’re not making a big thing of it, it’s what it is,” explains Thierry. “It’s a restaurant – nothing else. It’s not a venue to be seen, it’s for people to eat food.”
Thierry is currently overseeing the venue’s fit-out, which he says will blend classic bistro aesthetics with Art Deco flair. Inside, Pas de Chichi will boast 30 seats, with room for another 24 in an alfresco courtyard out front that is designed for casual drinks.
At the heart of the venue will be the comptoir – a counter with seating for nine where Thierry will hold court, conversing with guests as they dine.
Pas de Chichi will see Thierry returning to his tried-and-tested playbook – the classic dishes from which he made his name, revisited and resurrected for his latest venture. Though he won’t be helming the kitchen himself, Thierry is assembling a team of chefs that will be executing his recipes.
Subscribe for updates“I want to use my knowledge for the future,” says Thierry. “I’m going to train a couple of young chefs and teach them as much as I can.”
While exact details of the menu are still being finalised, Thierry is relishing the opportunity to take a broad look at French cuisine once again, eschewing a strict regional focus in favour of a country-spanning selection of dishes.
“I think a lot of people will be happy to see some of the old favourites,” says Thierry. “La Cache was more orientated with the wine – Burgundy and Rhône Valley – and the recipes weren’t spread out. Now I can do Alsace, I can do Southern France.
“We’re basically going back to the beginning, really – we’re not reinventing the wheel. Some recipes you can’t change, because they’re classics. But there are some things that I’m looking at changing and serving things in a few different ways.”
As for wine, oenophiles can rest easy knowing that Thierry is curating Pas de Chichi’s selection. Though boasting a more streamlined list compared to his previous venues, the selection will still showcase top drops from some of France’s pre-eminent wine-growing regions.
“It’s all French wine – there’s going to be wine from Beaujolais, Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône and Bordeaux,” says Thierry. “It won’t be a huge list – it’ll be like maybe 50 or 60 whites and 80 reds, which is big enough.”
The beverage program will also include a tight cocktail list that leans towards classics, as well as a range of French aperitifs like pastis.
Perhaps most excitingly, Pas de Chichi promises the same type of pitch-perfect service that Thierry Galichet’s venues have been known for – the place where guests are welcomed as friends, and long-time regulars become akin to family.
“We’ll deliver the food and the service, there’s no doubt about that,” says Thierry, with a smile.
Pas de Chichi is targeting a mid-to-late October opening date – keep your eyes peeled for a peek inside when it launches.
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