Page 5 - Stephan Fortier

Fortier’s charismatic touch continued in the magic city of Miami with the famed Maison D’Azur, a ne dining Mediterranean concept at The Angler’s and then later with a second location at the Astor hotel in Miami Beach, which included Layla, a fashionable Moroccan eatery. His reputation for transforming everyday life into unforgettable experiences took him to the town of Providence, RI where he was challenged with the launch of ve dieeferent concepts in a six-month time frame.
Perhaps Fortier’s most ambitious and highest-pro le project, Tosca, opened in Miami in 2011. Focused on extremely rare and exclusive ingredients own in daily from all around the world, Tosca took ne dining and guest experience in the Miami culinary landscape to a new level. With a revolutionary approach, inspired by Fortier’s favorite lms of the Golden Age and Italian lm “auteur” Fellini, Tosca was reminiscent of the carefree lifestyle of the late 1950s Mediterranean Riviera. Fortier wanted to create a concept that told a story, transporting guests into another time and place, o ering a truly novel experience. Tosca was one of the most reviewed and acclaimed concepts and yielded an incredible $1,00/guest check.
Fortier’s last food and beverage project, La Gazzetta in downtown Miami, uniquely combined ne dining and top quality ingredients in a fun and entertaining bistro ambiance. The restaurant opened in a record 19 days after taking its possession. The level of di culty in delivery ne dining quality food and service at bistro prices, combined with the incredible organization needed in fully redesigning and renovating the space while setting up operations to open in a mere 19 days made La Gazzetta Fortier’s greatest challenge up to that point. La Gazzetta quickly became a darling of the press and locals alike.
“We have developed a reputation for creating some of the most glamorous and exciting ‘scenes’ in the business,” explains Fortier. “A magical guest experience separates restaurants that thrive from those that survive. We know that in today’s world, it’s not only about great food and exceptional service anymore, it’s mostly about creating the experience...the escape.”
Nowadays, Fortier enjoys being on the other side of the operations, as a creative consultant. His new venture, The Fortier Creative Group, incorporates many divisions that allow him to touch upon all of his many passions: from interior design, to hospitality & fashion retail concept creation, print and video productions for ad campaigns, fashion & lifestyle magazine, feature lms, image making & public relations, marketing & branding, business start up consulting, real estate, as well as board advisory services helping small and medium-sized enterprises with strategic planning and expansion strategies. When Fortier is not dreaming up his next production he can be found spending time with his two sons Beck and Kaj.