Institut Lyfe and Chef Yannick Alléno are opening Pavyllon Lyon

An alliance between the leading institution for higher education in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts and Hospitality Management, chaired by Gilles Pélisson, and the world’s most Michelin-starred Chef, recipient of the 2024 Michelin Guide Mentor Chef Award, Yannick Alléno.

Institut Lyfe and Chef Yannick Alléno are opening Pavyllon Lyon restaurant on Place Bellecour, adjacent to the 5-star Le Royal MGallery teaching hotel. Open to the public, the Pavyllon concept is reaching a historic new milestone in becoming a laboratory for innovation and knowledge transfer, where Institut Lyfe students learn their future professions alongside a permanent team of professional trainers, bringing together signature gastronomy and excellence in higher education.

The Pavyllon concept

Created in Paris at Pavillon Ledoyen, Pavyllon is the concept most intimately connected to the Chef’s personal story. Its counter and open kitchen embody his vision of gastronomy experienced live, built around dialogue between chefs, front-of-house teams and guests. Following Paris, Monte-Carlo and London, Pavyllon is taking on a new dimension in Lyon, with a strong focus on knowledge transfer. Yannick Alléno leads the culinary direction and creates the menu, working alongside Florent Boivin, Institut Lyfe’s Director of Operations, Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2011, and Renaud Dutel, Executive Chef of the Pavyllon concept. Chef Clément Lopez and Florie Ghibaudo, Restaurant Director, oversee the day-to-day running of the restaurant, supported by their respective teams.

Pavyllon is the concept that reflects me most closely. It brings together the spirit of the counter where I grew up, the conviviality I love sharing with my guests and a great deal of creative freedom. With Institut Lyfe, this Lyon adventure takes on an entirely new dimension, centred on knowledge transfer. The aim is not to teach students to reproduce our cuisine, but to pass on the methods and confidence they need to create their own and to look to the future with passion, explains Yannick Alléno.

A unique immersive educational approach: students at the heart of the experience

Unprecedented among leading gastronomy schools, Pavyllon Lyon was designed from the outset as a professional training environment integrated into a restaurant open to the public. Each year, nearly 600 Institut Lyfe students, enrolled in the accredited Bachelor’s programmes in International Culinary Arts Management, International Pastry Management and International Hospitality Management, will take part in the running of the establishment through two- to four-week rotations in both the kitchen and front of house, under the supervision of Chef Clément Lopez and a team of twenty highly experienced permanent professional trainers. Through active learning and increased responsibility, every service provides an opportunity to develop precision in technique, a strong sense of teamwork and the highest standards of service. Students will also be able to express their own creativity through the co-creation of the Brève de Comptoir Menu, priced at €55 for lunch and renewed every week.

Pavyllon Lyon fully embodies our ambition: learning through experience and providing our students with exceptional professional environments where they can work alongside leading figures from our industries. This project goes far beyond hands-on professional training. Working with real customers, our young talents embrace the demands of the highest standards and develop the essential skills they need to become the committed professionals and leaders of tomorrow, adds François Mary, CEO of Institut Lyfe.

The Rhône terroir elevated by Yannick Alléno’s signature, centred around a counter

Rooted in the heart of the birthplace of French culinary excellence, in a city shaped by the legacy of Paul Bocuse and the Mères Lyonnaises, Yannick Alléno’s menu draws inspiration from the region’s iconic ingredients and specialities, including Bresse poultry, pike-perch, crayfish and sabodet, as well as from his pioneering work on sauces, extractions and the cryoconcentration of flavours. The experience can be enjoyed à la carte through 29 savoury and sweet creations (starters from €19, main courses from €28 and desserts at €16), or through three tasting menus comprising four, five or seven courses, led by the Bellecour Menu (€95), named after Lyon’s iconic square.

The Wine & Drinks list features 600 references, showcasing the great vineyards of the region, France and beyond. Designed to encourage enjoyment and discovery, the wine list places a strong emphasis on accessibility, with more than 150 references priced between €35 and €45 per bottle, as well as a selection of wines by the glass from €7. Curated by Vincent Javaux, Head of Sommellerie for the Yannick Alléno Group, and Gaëtan Bouvier, Head Sommelier at Institut Lyfe, Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2022, and brought to life each day by Head Sommelier Jeanne Suscillon, this wine cellar invites guests on a journey where the excellence of great wines meets the simplicity of shared enjoyment. A cocktail menu, with and without alcohol, inspired by the region’s great grape varieties, completes the experience.

A venue designed by Arnaud Behzadi for a unique experience

Designed by Arnaud Behzadi, the architecture of Pavyllon Lyon places craftsmanship, sharing and knowledge transfer at the heart of the experience. Drawn to Yannick Alléno’s boldness and creativity, and sharing his passion for detail and precision, Arnaud Behzadi approached the project as the beginning of a close creative dialogue. The restaurant is organised around a 24-seat counter, the beating heart of the venue and a link between the dining room and the kitchen, complemented by 50 seats in the dining room and 10 seats in the Gérard Pélisson private lounge. This configuration creates a privileged proximity to the teams and allows guests to observe the culinary craft, in keeping with the spirit of Pavyllon, where gastronomy is direct, vibrant and generous.

Arnaud Behzadi has created an elegant, warm and enveloping atmosphere, shaped by light and materials. Travertine, walnut, jatoba, oak, bronze, stainless steel and velvet form a rich, tactile palette, playing with contrasts between raw materials and polished surfaces. The project also pays tribute to the great tradition of French design and to Jean-Michel Frank’s “sensual rigour”, drawing on his appreciation for beautiful materials, restraint and precision, without ever seeking to reproduce his style literally. Structured lines sit alongside softer forms, creating a contemporary, vibrant and generous setting that places the experience and craftsmanship at its heart.

The commitment of our partners and the Fondation Institut Lyfe: an ecosystem of excellence

Institut Lyfe and the Yannick Alléno Group also recognise the strategic commitment of their outstanding partners: iconic Champagne houses Moët & Chandon and Duval-Leroy, as well as leading equipment manufacturers Charvet (Groupe SEB) and Martinon, which are actively contributing to equipping our students with the finest training tools in the industry.

This major project was made possible thanks to the decisive support and commitment of the Fondation Institut Lyfe, chaired by Sylvie Pélisson, and its many benefactors, whose primary mission is to support the development of the school and invest in the future of young people.

Practical informations
20, place Bellecour, 69002 Lyon
+33 (0)4 87 25 55 15
Open every day from 12pm to 2pm and from 7pm to 10.30pm
Reservations: www.pavyllonlyon.com

Discover the menus, the “à la carte” selection and a selection from our wine cellar