Our very own Serena Shamash sat down with Fabien Goubet of Gault & Millau to discuss the recent changes at Eat Me and how they come to life in the new menu. Please find below a translation of the article in English (for the original French please click here)
Renewal – Twelve years is a long time in the life of a restaurant. For twelve years, Eat Me has thrived in Lausanne, and for six years in Geneva, with a concept summed up in its slogan: “the world on small plates”—small dishes to share, taking diners on a journey around the globe. In mid-November, both locations underwent a transformation, complete with new menus. What’s the result? I visited the Lausanne location to find out. (Main image above: the Barcelona Bites—croquettes with Iberian ham and cream cheese, avocado, pickled padrón peppers, and a slice of raw tuna.)
Electric – At first glance, not much seems to have changed. The philosophy remains the same: small plates designed for sharing, still categorized by continent or geographical region. Choosing dishes feels like picking vacation destinations. The best-sellers are still on the menu, such as the electric sashimiviche, the restaurant’s signature dish—a surprising lemony tuna sashimi, meant to be savored after a Sichuan flower that triggers a gentle electric sensation on the tongue. So, what’s changed? It’s more in the details.
Refocusing – The new menu offers more straightforward dishes, with fewer ingredients and simpler preparations than before. Over the years, the recipes had become increasingly complex—quite a paradox for small plates, explains the founder and owner, Serena Shamash. Eat Me has refocused on the essentials: simpler recipes with less rigid geographical boundaries, embracing fusion cuisine. And, of course, everything is homemade.
Less, but better – Grilled Mediterranean-style octopus, cooked to perfection, is paired with an Afro-Indian tikka masala and a fermented lemon gel. Asian-style shredded duck nods to South America, adopting the flavors of cochinita pibil with a smoky aji panca chili seasoning, while also paying homage to Italy with a crispy polenta accompaniment. As for the Iberian ham croquette, it’s served with a touch of avocado and a slice of raw tuna, creating a near-global culinary tour. “It’s world cuisine, but without borders. Fewer limits allow us to be more creative,” explains Serena Shamash.
Playful – Another new addition: several dishes now include table-side finishing touches to add a bit of spectacle, much like some of the cocktails. Take the sea bream ceviche, for example, where the staff delicately pours a pisco sour emulsion over the fish. This refreshing dish merges cuisine with mixology. “The chef and our mixologists worked together to create it,” says Serena Shamash. Similarly, the pierogi—large potato and cheese dumplings inspired by chef Igor Bulanda’s memories of his Polish grandmother’s cooking—are served with a glass of borscht, a warm beet soup reimagined here with fermented beet water. A playful and comforting dish, it’s perfect to savor while watching snowflakes fall outside.
Experience – “Creating emotions at the table shouldn’t be reserved for Michelin-starred restaurants,” explains the restaurateur, who wants Eat Me to remain accessible. That includes late-night dining, with the kitchen staying open until midnight on weekends—a time when fast food is often the only option. With its new approach, Eat Me seems to have successfully embraced virtuous simplicity. While the restaurant has removed ingredients from its small plates, it has added something far greater: a true dining experience—modern, exciting, and, above all, convivial.