There’s nothing unusual prima facie. But if you go deep in Altamarea’s story, you can get very surprised. What is it that makes this group different? Why is it that you can resume everything with just a word? Success!

Nationwide, most restaurants close within the first year but Mr. Ahmass Fakahany is a financier by training; he did career at Merril Lynch and he built his restaurant group like ‘the money man’ he once was. He has hired back-office members from places like Goldman Sachs and Bain Capital to help him watch expenses. But that’s not all, he also hired his former driver at Merrill Lynch to shuttle around almost everything: from clients to wine crates.

 Michael White, the chef, spent his childhood in Wisconsin and graduated from the Kendal Culinary Institute. Nowadays, he has won several Michelin Stars and has been named Esquire’s Best Chef, just to name a few awards. Not to mention that his restaurant, Marea, is one of the best restaurants in New York City (said by Zagat, The New York Times, James Beard Foundation…).

This team seems to be invincible!

Marea, from the sea to the table

Located in Central Park South, Marea can be described like “the food is so heavenly, I don’t mind going to hell”, as we just read on a blog. Three stars from The New York Times, two Michelin Stars in 2012 and many other acknowledgments from several organizations endorse this sentence.

Marea, meaning ‘tide’ in Italian, redefines the high-end Italian food. The cuisine is committed to the freshest and most seasonal fish and shellfish from theMediterranean and waters worldwide. Selections are crudo, a wide variety of oysters and clams and antipasti.

Mr. White is famous for his house made pasta, plenty of frutti di mare. The menu also includes composed fish dishes, whole fish preparations and a short selection of meat.

And after watching the pictures, the mouth is watering, doesn’t it?

For those who are planning a visit to the city that never sleeps, here’s our recommendation in New York City! Good food, nice venue and incredible business management.

Café Charlot, in Paris, is known to be one of peoples’ favorite places to have a delicious brunch with friends while you’re enjoying the incredible atmosphere. One of the best choices is to order a classic brunch menu. What can you find in this magic brunch? Fresh squeezed orange juice, hot chocolate, pain perdu, toasts, cherry tomatoes and shallots, fresh fruit salad, scrambled organic eggs with smoked salmon and soft chive cream cheese… Delicious!

In Café Charlot you can eat what most people define as ‘the perfect hamburger’. It is served with the right kind of bread (we all know French bread is extremely delicious!), a soft sesame seed bun, a perfectly cooked burger with everything it should have inside, and crispy French fries.

 If you prefer organic food you can also order chicken burger, also served with fries. Among the other gourmet sandwiches are the BLT, the hot sandwich Charlot (cheese, beef and grilled onions served on a french roll) and of course, the typical French croque. Café Charlot’s specials: le croque jeune homme and le croque jeune fille.

Le Marais

Café Charlot’s neighbourhood is Le Marais. The beautiful buildings indicate the moneyed status of the old residents. After the revolution, much of the area was abandoned by the rich, and poor bohemian types moved in. Almost the opposite of what happened in Soho inNewYorkCity.

Le Marais is now one of Paris’ significant localities for artists. Le Marais has become a fashionable district, where you can find many trendy and cozy restaurants, vogue houses, and art galleries.

 You can’t miss it!! Visit Le Marais on your next visit to Paris and chill out with a brunch at Charlot’s Café!!

Doing business outside of the office is nice, but what is the correct etiquette in these situations? DHC experts have a few basic no-fail recommendations:

- Choose the right restaurant. Make sure it’s an appropriate environment for a business lunch and that the menu has enough variety so it appeals to different people.

- Think professionally. Choosing a place where you’re a regular could work against you. You might end up having to answer to embarrassing situations or questions with “I’ll tell you some other time…”

- I never leave home without my mobile. The appropriateness of using a mobile phone during a meeting is debatable. We recommend that you only answer calls that are directly related to the business at hand. Otherwise, wait to respond to calls after your meeting. Your client will appreciate you for it.

-Where do I put my purse? Leaving your bag with the coat check or hanging it across your seat rest are your best options. Don’t put it on the floor – it’s considered a bad omen for your money.

-If you’re a smokerremember this: the most important part of this meeting is your guest or client. It is considered bad manners to leave your party waiting at the table while you go out for a smoke.

DHC’s restaurants are participating in the third annual Restaurant Week by offering sophisticated menus at 25€ per guest. One euro from each menu will be donated to a Guide Dog foundation, ONCE (Fundación ONCE del Perro Guía) and the Spanish Heart Foundation (Fundación Española del Corazón).

From April 13^th to 22^nd, discover the romantic bistro, El Regulador, at the Hotel Bagués located next to the Boquería Market, the fantastic views from the beautiful terrace at Claris, and the Asian Mediterranean cuisine at Restaurant 3 at Hotel Granados 83.

See the menus at derbyhotels.com and make your reservations through atrapalo.com

This week, we’re also preparing for the most romantic day of the year. Discover the benefits of being a member of Club DHC, and be sure to visit to try our special rose cocktail.