25/04/2026

LYFE SATURDAY | APR 25, 2026

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Fast food with French twist o Country known for luxuries falls for reimagined workers’ canteens

S O-CALLED bouillon restaurants are mushrooming all over France, reviving a traditional low-cost Gallic meal concept that can compete with fast-food on prices and easily beat it on quality. “It’s exploding! 253 bouillon restaurants have opened in France in four years. “It’s an ultra-intensive expansion, driven by a trend of returning to traditions, with the reappearance of iconic French dishes at very low prices,” Bernard Boutboul, a restaurant consultant, told AFP. Created in the 1850s by the butcher Adolphe-Baptiste Duval to fill workers’ stomachs with hearty meals, Duval’s ran 250 restaurants in the capital by the turn of the 20th century. That made them France’s first mass chain of restaurants, serving traditional recipes at low prices in high-volume and bustling restaurants. But as eating habits changed, with higher quality and more expensive brasseries dominating the French food market, and international and fast-food trends appearing, the bouillon concept fell out of favour. Its revival began in 2005 with the resurrection of the Bouillon Chartier, an ornate Parisian landmark that had been slowly fading. “A bouillon is the gateway to French gastronomy,” explained Christophe Joulie, part of the gastronomic family who took over the Chartier. He modernised the kitchens and put beef bourguignon with macaroni back on the menu. “For me, you have to be able to have a starter, main course and dessert for under €20 (RM92.60),” he said. With its leek vinaigrette for €1 and bills scribbled on paper tablecloths by apron-clad waiters, the restaurant hums with activity as locals and tourists alike pack out its tables,

eye for the market have sensed an opportunity. “We looked at needs and changing habits and realised there was demand for intergenerational social spaces with no price-based exclusion. “I wanted to dust off the bouillon – its mass-market French dishes available from noon to midnight,” Enguerran Lavaud, director of Groupe Bouillon Restaurants, said. Boosted by its Instagram presence, his Bouillon Pigalle now serves 2,300 customers a day, often with long queues along the pavement. Since 2017, the concept has spread, attracting more and more restaurateurs across France from Angers to Nancy and Toulouse. Some are adapting the concept. In the Romainville suburb northeast of Paris, a family of Mauritian origin took over a large brasserie in 2026 to turn it into a “Mauritian-style bouillon”. There is an Italian bouillon in Paris too. Industry insiders say they do not fear competition around what has become a “bouillon culture”. “But there are bouillons and bouillons: Those that can’t sustain the low prices over time and whose menus change all the time won’t make it to 2027 or 2028 because you have to protect the quality of the experience to protect volume – and therefore prices,” warned Lavaud. According to consultant Bernard Boutboul, you specifically need “at least 300 seats and not exceed an average bill of €18”.

Affordable dishes are the hallmark of bouillon restaurants, which first aimed to fill workers’ stomachs in the 1800s.

Locals and tourists alike enjoying their time at Bouillon Chartier.

quality food at affordable prices. He has opened a bouillon in a northern Paris suburb. “In the 1960s, it took the equivalent of an hour of the minimum wage to eat at a bistro. Today, with an hour of minimum wage, you only get fast food, something from the bakery – or a bouillon dish,” he said. Other restaurateurs with a keen

which crucially cannot be reserved. “In a world where fast food is taking up more space, it’s French style fast food, because we serve a full dish for less than a sandwich at McDonald’s,” said Joulie. ‘Dust off’ Even multi-Michelin-starred French chef Thierry Marx has got in on the act, attracted by the idea of providing

Steak frites is a beloved French staple. – PICS FROM FACEBOOK @BOUILLONCHARTIER

EVENTS LISTING

Yayasan Mr D.I.Y. Him & Her Health R un 2026 0 Date: May 17, July 19, Oct 18 0 Time: 6am–12pm 0 Venue: Padang Kawad USM, Penang (May 17), TBA (July 19), TBA (Oct 18) 0 Entry fee: RM50–RM180 Yayasan Mr D.I.Y. has launched a 5km fun run as a nationwide initiative to bring Malaysians together to pro mote heart health and raise awareness of cancer. The Him & Her Health Run 2026 will take place across three locations – Penang, Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur.

towards better health. All participants will receive a fun run kit, which includes an event T-shirt, a limited edition towel, a race cap, a race bib and a finisher medal.

Open to participants aged five-years-old and above, the run offers an inclusive platform for communities to come together, taking proactive steps

S tar Wars: A New Hope In Concert 0 Date: May 3 –4 0 Time: 3pm (May 3), 8pm (May 4) 0 Venue: Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, KLCC 0 Entry fee: RM399–RM549 The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra will present S tar Wars: A New Hope in Concert, featuring a screening of the complete film with composer John William’s Oscar-winning score performed live to the film. The concert will be led by conductor Gerard Salonga alongside composer Williams, who is known for scoring all nine of the Star War s saga films. The screening of Star Wars: A New Hope follows Luke Skywalker, who is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance – 19 years after the formation of the Empire. From there, he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi and begins his Jedi training before going on a daring mission to rescue rebel leader Princess Leia from Darth Vader and the evil Empire.

T R X Canvas Collective × Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur 0 Date: April 15–30 0 Time: TBA 0 Venue: Anjung @ TRX, Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur 0 Entry fee: Free Celebrating World Art Day, Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur and Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) have come together to present a one-month art exhibition, inspired by Malaysia’s flora and fauna. As a part of TRX Canvas Collective series, this exhibition draws inspiration from the beauty, textures and stories of Malaysia’s tropical rainforests, extending its narrative beyond walls – bringing nature and community together at the heart of TRX. 111 artworks from established and emerging artists in Malaysia will be featured in the TRX and the hotel’s arrival lobby, living room and Tuai + Till throughout the month.

Asiatop Music Festival 0 Date: May 30–31 0 Time: 8am–11pm 0 Venue: Sepang International Circuit, Selangor 0 Entry fee: TBA

In support of Visit Malaysia Year and Visit Selangor Year 2026, Hong Leong Bank has partnered with Tencent Music Entertainment Group for a music festival showcasing celebrated artistes from Malaysia and across Asia, alongside the largest K-pop music experience in the Asean

enriching Malaysia’s cultural landscape while boosting local tourism and commerce. Tickets for the music festival will go on sale on May 6.

region. Joox and QQ Music will also collaborate to bridge the gap between digital streaming and high- production live experiences,