Every week, 33 pallets of ingredients arrive in Luxembourg from Italy to delight customers at the nine restaurants established over the past decade by Severin Laface.
How did “Come à la Maison” begin?
Since the age of 20, I had always dreamed of having a restaurant. After studying accounting, I started my career in 1987 at Banque Privée Edmond de Rothschild, but a year later, I had already opened my first store, “Peter Pin,” in Arlon. We sold antique pine furniture that we restored ourselves. In 1990, we opened our third location, which was the first in Luxembourg. We stepped things up in 1995 with the creation of “Robin du Lac,” a company focused on international markets and B2B, with a presence at the “Maison et Objet” trade fair in Paris, where our booth grew from 20 square meters to 350 square meters, filled with eight truckloads of material. In five days, we would receive orders covering six months.
When did you open the first restaurant?
Since the age of 20, I had always dreamed of having a restaurant. After studying accounting, I started my career in 1987 at Banque Privée Edmond de Rothschild, but a year later, I had already opened my first store, “Peter Pin,” in Arlon. We sold antique pine furniture that we restored ourselves. In 1990, we opened our third location, which was the first in Luxembourg. We stepped things up in 1995 with the creation of “Robin du Lac,” a company focused on international markets and B2B, with a presence at the “Maison et Objet” trade fair in Paris, where our booth grew from 20 square meters to 350 square meters, filled with eight truckloads of material. In five days, we would receive orders covering six months.
“If there’s a secret, it’s understanding that today’s impeccable quality immediately becomes outdated.”
When did you open the first restaurant?
The 2008 financial crisis significantly impacted the decoration industry. In 2010, I moved my showroom into a massive space on Route d’Esch and stopped B2B sales in the following months. During an open house event in 2014, I prepared Italian dishes for my guests—27 years after first dreaming of it. The success was immediate, and customer demand continued to grow.
We now serve more than 30,000 meals per month in our nine restaurants, including Come à la Maison on Route d’Esch, Ceruzzi at La Cloche d’Or, Rotisserie Ardenaise on Avenue du X Septembre, and Come Italia at the train station.
I remember seeing this place transform in 2014 almost every week, with new walls, others gone, and fresh concepts. Is daring to constantly evolve the secret to resilience?
We are always listening to our customers and constantly seeking improvement. If there’s a secret, it’s understanding that today’s impeccable quality immediately becomes outdated. The only way to reach it tomorrow is to identify areas for improvement, as the restaurant industry can quickly turn due to external factors: COVID, wars, remote work, rising interest rates, and inflation in costs (raw materials, energy). I’ve seen competitors close their restaurants despite meticulous management. Failure in our business can happen to anyone, but by continuously questioning ourselves, we reduce our risks.
“The greatest success for an entrepreneur is their team.”
What are the main lessons you’ve learned over these 37 years?
I can share three key ideas. First, “Know how to dream with your feet on the ground.” To achieve your dreams, they must be accessible. Then, you need to move forward step by step, day by day. The second essential point is morale! Staying positive despite challenges, not getting discouraged, and always believing. And finally, never forget that the greatest achievement of an entrepreneur is their team. Surrounding yourself with good, competent people is essential. We are like a big family, working hard to achieve our dreams together. We continuously source the finest products, highlight them in simple and generous dishes, and, above all, offer a memorable experience to our loyal customers. If I could do it all over again, I would start earlier—with my brother and my mom at age 20.
Key Figures:
200+ employees.
33 pallets per week from Italy.
36,000 meals are served per month.
