The 1926 Collection is a collection of hotels created by a family in homage to the incredible life of their father, Sunny. The collection has become synonymous with quiet luxury, embodying a carefully curated ensemble of boutique hotels that are rooted in the charm and culture of Malta. The properties offer a uniquely personalised approach to hospitality, coupled with sustainability and a Mediterranean flair. The company plans to open two luxury hotels in 2025, a testament to its commitment towards strengthening Malta's luxury offering.
Left to right: Pastry Chef David Tanti and Executive Chef Andrew Borg
Now, a new name is being added to Malta’s fine dining landscape as part of the 1926 Collection. Le GV Restaurant is a fresh culinary vision from two of the most respected culinary minds in the industry - Executive Chef Andrew Borg and Pastry Chef David Tanti.
Located within Sliema’s 1926 Le Soleil, Le GV seamlessly reflects the 1926 brand ethos, introducing its signature timeless elegance and enduring hospitality to the local fine-dining scene.
Executive Chef Andrew Borg
“We are hands-on, and we are always here. In reality, that’s the only way you can stay consistent. We take it seriously, which means that our team takes things seriously, too. It’s not exactly a new idea, but not everyone does it,” Chef Andrew starts off.
Chef David elaborates: “Today we were here at 8:30am and we won’t leave until the doors close. And it’s not just about the food. We’re involved in every single aspect of preparation, service, and even administration. We’ve never missed a service. Our mentality has ensured that our staff follows our lead.”
Finding reliable staff in the hospitality industry is notoriously challenging right now. How do the two Chefs manage, and how do they keep everyone motivated?
“We treat our team like adults. They know that we have a briefing at 5pm, they know that at 6pm we all need to be ready, and we can trust them to do the rest. We always have a full staff, even if the restaurant is not fully-booked. And when we didn’t have the full team, we reduced our bookings and turned away people so as to make sure that we didn’t lose our attention to detail, and that our service stayed on point,” Chef David explains.
Chef Andrew points out that the restaurant closes two days a week – if it didn’t, their ability to be hands-on and to ensure everything is “just so” would be seriously compromised. But, of course, there’s more that sets the entire experience apart from other fine dining experiences.
“We run an open kitchen, so there are no boundaries between the back and front of house. It’s all part of the service. Sometimes, one of us will come out to explain a particular dish directly to the guest. If you’re having a drink at the bar, you’ll see us doing the prep in the kitchen. It ensures we’re constantly at our best,” Chef Andrew details.
Both appreciate the fact that each guest has chosen Le GV as their entertainment for the night. Delivering on the expectations and respecting their choice is a priority.
“This means that we take care to curate the entire experience. We teach our staff to read the room; if we see two people on a date, we’re not going to be constantly interrupting them with food explanations. The priority is to make everyone comfortable and relaxed. We’re here for the guest, not for our convenience or our ego,” Chef David says.
This also means giving importance to any guest feedback, with Chef Andrew explaining that they take note even of “half a word”.
“Statistically, only about three per cent of guests will give feedback, so we must make it count. If two people are less than enthusiastic about something on our menu, it’s out. It might be the best thing ever, but we’ll still remove it. There are a lot of things that are amazing but won’t necessarily be enjoyed by everyone - and our priority is for guests to enjoy the entire experience,” he says.
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