Take another look at Institut Lyfe’s serial entrepreneurs: what have they been up to?
Published on 10 April 2026
Faire défiler la pageEntrepreneurship has always been an integral part of Institut Lyfe’s DNA: training committed, creative professionals capable of devising the concepts of tomorrow also means encouraging everyone to forge their own path. Restaurants, innovative concepts, start-ups at the crossroads of several sectors: nearly 20% of our graduates now choose to set up their own business after completing their studies.
It was to highlight these inspiring stories that the “Serial Entrepreneurs” series was launched three years ago. Through these videos, we meet the people who dare to take risks, innovate and redefine the norms of their industry. Let’s take a look at what they’ve been up to since!
Antonio & Marco: Italian dolce vita in France
Antonio and Marco are, first and foremost, two brothers from the Morreale family, a family of Italian restaurateurs based in Lyon. Having grown up surrounded by the world of catering from a very young age, they harboured ambitions to open their own pizzeria from an early age. It was after completing their studies at Institut Lyfe (Antonio with a Bachelor’s in International Culinary Arts Management and Marco with a Bachelor’s in International Restaurant Management) that their project took shape with the opening of their establishment: the Antonio & Marco restaurants.
Since then, the number of projects has grown: new establishments have opened in Lyon, including Gloria, an ice-cream parlour celebrating Sicilian flavours, and A’Bianca Romana, where you can enjoy Roman street food in the heart of the city center.
As for the Antonio & Marco restaurants, the two brothers have launched a franchise: you can now find them in the Beaujolais region in Limas and Montpellier, and soon in Lozanne. This rapid expansion is a testament not only to the success of their restaurants but also to their ability to expand beyond the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Unico: conquering the ice cream market in Lyon
Founded in 2016 in the heart of the Croix-Rousse district in Lyon, Único Glacier is the first business initiative from Julia Canu and Tiago Barbosa, both graduates of the Bachelor’s degree in International Pastry Management.
Buoyed by this initial success, three years later they opened a second outlet, Fresco Glacier, specialising in soft-serve ice cream. The adventure then continued alongside Marcela Acquarone with the launch of Minnà Pâtisserie, a new entrepreneurial venture guided by the same high standards: offering homemade products, crafted with meticulous care and a constant focus on quality.
In June 2024, Único Glacier took another step forward with the opening of a second shop in Lyon city centre. With a new, more spacious production facility, they were able to explore new flavours and perfect their ice cream-making techniques. Minnà Pâtisserie, meanwhile, closed its doors in September 2025, marking the end of this entrepreneurial chapter.
Ephemera: immersive dining is gaining popularity in France
Ephemera is an immersive dining concept devised by Jade Frommer and Annaïg Ferrand, both of whom graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality and Restaurant Management in 2020. It was during their time at Institut Lyfe that their project took shape, as part of a project dedicated to creating pop-up restaurants. This initial experiment quickly evolved into an entrepreneurial ambition: to roll out their concept on a larger scale.
Their growth is a testament to the popularity of immersive dining: whilst the Ephemera group had three venues in 2024, it now has seven just two years later. This growth is particularly evident in the opening of new flagship venues: Under the Sea 2.0 in the Paris region in October 2025 and then in Montpellier in February 2026, Wonderwoods in Angers in February 2025 and in Val d’Europe in July 2025, as well as Magmatic in Lille in May 2025.
With nearly 5,000 bookings for Wonderwoods in Angers within just a few hours, Ephemera is creating a buzz among customers looking for new experiences!
The story is still unfolding for Jade and Annaïg, but one thing is certain: their creativity and ambition promise some wonderful surprises. The numerous press articles are testament to Ephemera’s national success and, we hope, soon international success too – who knows?
Wecandoo: crafts delivered to your home
Wecandoo is a platform co-founded by Edouard Eyglunent, who graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality and Restaurant Management in 2010. His aim was to bring artisans and the general public together through immersive workshops, held directly at the premises of passionate professionals. From crafts to culinary arts, the platform now offers a wide variety of experiences.
Buoyed by this enthusiasm, Wecandoo continues to grow, particularly in France and Belgium. In 2025, Edouard Eyglunent was named a winner of the Impact 40/120 award by the Impact France Movement, in recognition of his commitment to impact entrepreneurship.
The platform has enjoyed significant media coverage thanks to numerous television reports, contributing to substantial growth: a 236% increase in participants in cooking workshops and a total of 330,000 registered participants in 2025. A record for Wecandoo!
These stories all point to the same reality: entrepreneurship is not a separate path, but a natural progression for many graduates of Institut Lyfe. Through its “Serial Entrepreneurs” series, the Lyfe Institut highlights these inspiring journeys and reaffirms its commitment to supporting those who dare to take the plunge into entrepreneurship. For beyond skills, it is also a mindset that can be cultivated: the mindset to imagine, create and take the plunge.