Chez Nous serving up a Michelin star atmosphere here in the heart of Sale

If the food at Chez Nous is half as good as it looks then customers are in for a rare treat.  The man behind the mouthwatering menus is Paul Lehmann, the General manager who learned his trade from the bottom up,  including working in one of London’s Michelin starred restaurants.

It is that experience in the restaurant industry that helps make Chez Nous first choice for fine dining among Sale’s bustling and diverse eateries.

“My philosophy is simple.  We want people to think of Chez Nous Bistro as their Number One destination for good food, great company, and a place where excellence rules supreme in Sale,” says Paul Lehmann, the 47-year-old general manager.

“I’ve dedicated my life to provide the best food and service you can get, and nothing pleases me more to see people returning again and again to Chez Nous.  It’s my personal challenge to maintain that.’’

Chez Nous Bistro is a suburban restaurant with an urban attitude. Under Paul’s guidance Chez Nous is emerging as a top class bistro for food in Manchester, and beyond.

Paul is a very experienced manager. He started his career at the age of 14 and worked as part-time banqueting waiter, working with his father. He then ended up in Germany working in a restaurant.

“It was like an apprenticeship – I learnt so much in Germany, about good food, and service and hygiene,” said Paul.

Eventually he came back to take a degree in hospitality and management at university, and then worked at restaurants like Michelin-starred  The Dining Room at The Goring Hotel in Belgravia, in London.

“It was an incredible experience for me, to work with outstanding chefs, and the staff, who were just dedicated to serve fine food and outstanding wines. I have taken that as my mantra for life, something we do passionately at Chez Nous,” says Paul.

In recent years Paul worked at the Lime Tree in Didsbury, before the challenge of taking Chez Nous, which is on Marsland Road, to new heights proved irresistible.

“We use only local, seasonal and sustainable produce.  That is what the Sale community expects and deserves.  We have introduced lunchtime dining now to cater for that demand.

“The thing I love about Chez Nous is its informality, dress up, dress down, it’s the perfect place to unwind, to celebrate, socialise, and entertain…or even pop in for a coffee.

“All our staff know the customer is king. They are friendly and helpful –and their enthusiasm is tremendous. The whole Chez Nous experience starts with them. They know the menu inside and out…they have the ability to put people at their ease.

“We serve modern British cuisine, which takes in dishes like Moroccan spiced lamb, or simple dishes like grilled fillet of hake served with a pea and salmon risotto, with pea shoots, and our steaks are really something to behold. All our steaks are 24 day dry aged from the Cheshire herds, raised on the lush green fields.

“And the chefs cook them to perfection….and I am so proud to say that all our regular customers keep coming back for more. We have amazing steak nights with our Steak Club every Wednesday.

“I am happy to say that we have a very varied clientele, a really nice mix of young and old who have one thing in common – they all like good food, and served in the Chez Nous way.

“And I am happy to say that we pride ourselves in being a family friendly Bistro, All pre-schoolers eat free – up to two children under the age of five receive a finger food platter with every adult food order.

“Our menus change frequently, reflecting the growing sophistication of tastes enjoyed by the people who dine here.  We have an extensive wine menu now, as well as serving a wide-range of non-alcoholic drinks.

“We also have a really attractive vegetarian menu which is proving very popular.  Dishes like Feta cheese, red pepper and tomato tartlet, with pesto Genovese  or Kashmiri style butternut squash, sweet potato and chickpea saag served with pilau rice are favourites.”

All the meals are prepared from scratch in Chez Nous down to the last ingredient.  ‘This means we can cater for most food allergies or any dietary requirements, like gluten free.

“It also gives us the flexibility to adapt an order, so people can be assured, when we say it’s fresh food, we really mean it.

“I am passionate about food. I get a buzz about seeing people enjoying the food we have prepared for them. Nothing beats its.”

It is a busy time of year, but Paul is looking forward to the Christmas season: ‘It is a really special time at Chez Nous Bistro. The ambience and atmosphere is great, and our Christmas menu is outstanding. We launch that on December 1^st, and we are running an early evening menu, as well as catering for party bookings, and especially Christmas Day…what better way to celebrate Christmas at Chez Nous and leave all the hard work to us, and forget about doing the dishes!”

“Every day I have to remind my staff at  the Chez Nous Bistro – you are only as good as your last meal, but hopefully people will come back for more and more, and make Chez Nous really the place where excellence runs…supreme.”

To book our table at Chez Nous click here.