© Restaurant OiO
Four years after opening OiO in the middle of a global pandemic, chef Leonardo De Paoli is still at the helm — and going strong.
In his Clausen premises, De Paoli champions cuisine with "identity", and opens up about his ambitions while revealing issues caused by "no-shows", or reservations in which customers fail to turn up.
Sitting in a chair in the restaurant entrance, De Paoli savours a moment of calm. The sun is rising slowly on Clausen, the last customers are starting to leave and the holidays are approaching in September. Inside, parquet floors and a shower of hanging bulbs bathe the room in a soft light. Four years after OiO's opening, the chef takes stock of his achievements so far, and his future ambitions.
You're celebrating four years of your restaurant OiO. If you had to summarise this adventure in one word or image, what would you use? Leonardo De Paoli :
"I would say evolution. We started it in the midst of Covid. Lots of restaurants were closed at the time. They told me I was crazy, that I wouldn't last six months. Even if I came from the Mosconi kitchens, I didn't know many people in Luxembourg. I was the little Italian who drove up from Verona to find work. But I always believed in myself. We started very small, with only three employees. Now, there are eleven of us. I've invested a lot in this establishment. But it's not finished yet: the terrace flooring needs to be relaid next September, with underfloor heating, to make it more welcoming in winter. We are going to improve the interior with small touches, with new chairs which are quite expensive."
What would you say have been the major turning points over the last four years?
"We were included in the Michelin and Gault&Millau guides, we were elected Mediterranean restaurant of the year in 2022, the year we opened: these were moments of great pride for us. We don't work for them, but these signs of recognition are important for people who understand our work. My other source of pride is working every day with lovely people, who want to work, who want to make people happy. Yes, there are discouraging moments. Notably due to no-shows. There has been much discussion in Luxembourg, it's become a real issue. Despite all the media articles on this topic, things haven't changed. Here, we ask for bank details on a case by case basis. We know our loyal customers won't fail to show. But if we don't ask new customers for payment details in advance, you can be pretty sure they won't honour their reservation. Not everyone understands this, we have to argue to have the idea accepted. It's a bit depressing. But it's no different to making a hotel reservation or ordering something on Amazon. I don't have a large restaurant. If a table doesn't turn up, I feel it immediately in my accounts. In Luxembourg, we are a bit spoiled, we don't always realise the consequences of our actions. But I think it's also generational. Clients over 40 tend to keep their reservation. It's fine to participate in fundraisers to save restaurants, but before it gets to that point, it would be good to honour reservations."
How have your prices changed in four years?
"I haven't really put my prices up. I have found other ways of making the restaurant more profitable. For example, I introduced set menus a year and a half ago, even if just for two courses. We can't accommodate customers who only eat one course of €25 or €30, over the space of three hours. A gastronomic restaurant's role is to offer customers an experience. If you only eat one dish, you can't guarantee an experience. As restaurateurs, we have to be honest about what we offer, such as good value for money. The customer has to be happy at the moment when we serve dishes, drinks, but also when they receive the bill."
A lot of restaurateurs have experienced difficulties over the past few months or years. How does OiO manage to thrive when others are struggling to survive?
"We always try to put ourselves in our customer's shoes. We want to be seen as accessible, friendly without being friends. We are also young. It's true that eating in gourmet restaurants means spending more than usual. But despite it all, I think the quality/price ratio is good in Luxembourg. The restaurants suffering are brasseries, I think, or bistros. Customers won't accept prices which don't match up with what they are being served, and the quality of the service. But there are chefs doing well. I'm thinking of Jérémmy Parjouet (Le Q dans le beurre), Baptiste Heugens (Equilibrium) or Mathieu Van Wetteren (Apdickt), Michelin-starred but not near the capital, Steinfort."
You're a big advocate for modern Italian cuisine, away from clichés. What does this mean for your dishes?
"I consider it more an identity cuisine. There's an Italian identity, but it's young and different. We try to offer unique recipes. The freshness of the products, it counts. We make pasta dough fresh on the spot. Right now, we are working on a cherry tomato tarte tatin, for example. They're the first tomatoes of the season so they're still a little green, we need to caramelise them. We add a little layer of mustard, and we serve them with a basil emulsion and a cacio e pepe gelato. There is no doubt it is Italian, but it is far from traditional. There is technique involved. We can make great dishes with products everyone has at home."
You've gone from a team of 3 to 11 in four years. How have you managed this growth?
"I don't have any shareholders or investors. When I opened, the service was more like a bistro, the dishes were less elaborate, the ingredients more simple. After Covid, the public wanted to spend their money. I have an anecdote which sums it all up. At the time I had a wine list with 30 products. Each bottle cost less than €60, save for one, which was €180. I thought we'd never sell it. But people only wanted the expensive option! For some of them it was a way of supporting me. But the real help is word of mouth recommendations, when people tell their friends and family about us. That's how the restaurant still functions and I'm very grateful to them for it. Without them I don't know if we'd have made it this far. Today, I have eleven families depending on me, so I have to carefully weigh up every decision I make, every investment."
You've already been recognised by Gault&Millau and mentioned in the Michelin guide. Is a star still a goal of yours, or is it an unneeded pressure?
"If we only look at matters from an entrepreneur's point of view, I would say the most important thing is to have full coffers and to be able to pay all our bills. A chef whose business isn't running smoothly can't think about rewards. But if we put in the work, if we dedicate our time and energy, it is to obtain recognition in some way. For me, obtaining a Michelin star has always been a dream of mine. But you need to be ready for it, because it means a lot more pressure and attention. We first have to construct something solid."
Where do you see OiO in 4 years?
"I don't have a crystal ball but I think we'll still be here, alongside the Alzette! We have a long way to go, a lot of dishes to create, lots of pasta to eat. I hope we can become a benchmark for Italian cuisine in the capital, but always remembering where I came from and knowing where I will go."
