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The design of the restaurant mirrors the philos-
ophy of the food. As Ryckeboer explains, “Papi
is a fairly hybrid restaurant: its offering is
unique. It was therefore very important to design
a space that reflected the concept: different,
unique, relaxed and refined. It is in this way
that the design of the space serves the culinary
concept, and vice versa.” He chose to work with
Neri&Hu because “a unique project needs a unique
architect: it was obvious that we needed to work
with a strong, differentiating architect, prefer-
ably one who did not yet have a project here in
Paris. The choice of Neri&Hu was a natural one,
because we recognised ourselves in some of their
projects, which are very well done, yet raw, min-
imalist, natural and refined.”
Within the compact 52-square-metre space, Neri&Hu
created an arena-like enclosure that integrates
all the functional needs of seating, display,
chef’s preparation counter, privacy screen, and
wood-burning oven. Neri&Hu’s design concept cele-
brates the layered material heritage of the late
19th century Haussmann building, revealing the
beauty of the bare materials and honouring the
imprint of time upon each surface. Different pe-
riods in Paris’ history are represented through
preserved materials including portions of the old
limestone and brick walls in the interior and, on
the façade, a steel I-beam lintel and a segment
of the old stone moulding. These are met by a
glass façade that maintains a visual connection
between the public realm and the interior and
allows the space to be awash in fresh air. Petit
Chair, designed by Neri&Hu specifically for Papi
Restaurant to fit the compact interior, and craft-
ed by De La Espada, provides seating throughout
the restaurant.
Located in Paris’ 9th arrondissement, Papi is a
neighbourhood restaurant with an international
view, offering Italian cuisine fused with Japanese
and French influences. Simultaneously rooted in
culinary traditions and breaking free of them,
Papi’s entire concept is based around seemingly
conflicting ideas that work beautifully together:
local yet global, relaxed yet refined, traditional
yet modern. There is a painstaking attention to
detail, from the menus to the interior design.
All ingredients are locally sourced and of the
highest quality, and the flavours are internation-
ally inspired and skilfully created. The space is
thoughtfully designed and expertly crafted, yet
the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.
Japanese chef Akira Sugiura infuses the simple
Italian pizza-and-pasta offering of Papi with an
artful complexity by thoughtfully incorporating
elements of Japanese cuisine and French food tra-
ditions. The menu, which changes according to
the seasons and the availability of locally-grown
produce, is simultaneously loyal to cooking tra-
ditions and experimental, fusing flavours across
cultures to create a taste palette grounded in the
familiar yet entirely new. A traditional Bolognese
beef and pork pasta dish offers a twist with udon
used in place of tagliatelle and garnish includ-
ing both basil and bonito flakes. An innovative
take on the classic Italian tiramisu sees the
dessert made with kinako (roasted soybean flour)
and an Okinawan black sugar caramel. A starter of
cauliflower velouté with truffle cream and hazelnut
oil turns the lens toward local food traditions.
