The new head bartender, Jérémy Benettayeb, energizes this place of encounter and relaxation with new cocktails inspired by the work of Guy de Maupassant.
When he moved behind the bar at Hotel Bel Ami last summer, 30-year-old Jérémy Benettayeb had one ambition: to revitalize this glamorous bar in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. As Le Bel Ami is located in place of the old printing house where Guy de Maupassant’s eponymous book was published, one thing became obvious to the young man: to play the literary card. Thus were born 8 signature cocktails, all baptised with inspired names of Maupassant’s universe: the “1885”, date of publication of Bel Ami, the “Madeleine Forestier”, the novel’s heroine, the “George Duroy”, the ambitious and seductive young man of the book, the “Comte de Vaudrec”, lover of Madeleine Forestier, and so on. As an expert mixologist, Jérémy Benettayeb plays with dexterity vodka, bourbon, mezcal, gin, champagne, bitter and all the fruits and herbs that make up an exceptional cocktail. The Germanopratins, and everyone else, are not mistaken. From now on, it is at the Bel Ami bar that the trendy youth runs for the aperitif or even the evening, beautiful tapas plates accompanying the new drinks. After having reread Bel Ami, of course.
7-11, rue Saint-Benoît – 75006 Paris +33 1 42 61 53 53 – www.hotel-bel-ami.com
Open Monday to Sunday from 10:30 am to midnight
Photo © FRANCIS AMIAND / NAROPHOTO