Left derelict since 2005 due to the general state of the building, the former Château-Landon firehouse in Paris’ 10th arrondissement, re-opened its doors in the Spring of 2022. Following a two-year renovation process, the 4000 m2 building dubbed ‘La Caserne’ – i.e. the firehouse – was transformed into a sustainable and ethical incubator dedicated to the fashion and luxury industries. Thought-out as a space to communicate and raise awareness on sustainability and our ecological transition, La Caserne also houses a night-club, a plant-based restaurant and a green rooftop bar, all contributing to the builds common mission.
The restaurant? Ora. A one-way culinary journey that is both bursting with flavour, positive energy and modernity.
Conceptualized by the acclaimed French events agency Entourage Paris, Ora’s artistic take on plant-based eating sheds a new light on vegetarian cuisine. Plated, or shall I say, laid out on the table (the dishes are set on parchment paper directly on the tables surface so as to reduce water consumption) all the ingredients come together to create colorful and enticing works of art. Behind these masterful brushstrokes, chef SaaYaan who sources local, seasonal and mostly organic produce to design his weekly-changing menu that implements a no-waste ethos.
On the brunch menu, the day of my visit, a multi-colored composition of sweet and savoury delicacies. Melt-in-your-mouth hallah bread toasts, roasted butternut slices with cashew cheese, gingerbread loaves with poached pears drizzled in chocolate caramel, golden French patisseries, fluffy soufflé pancakes and swirls of yogurt adorned with seasonal fruits, all created an abstract food landscape as appetizing to see as it was to devour.
Ora sheds positive energy and a festive touch to the plant-based world, showcasing a snippet of what the future of food consumption and restaurants hold.
Cover photo credits: © Food&Sens
