A low ABV concept dictated by product choice.

I worked at Andy Walhoo with Matthieu (Note: Matthieu Biron, co-founder of Fréquence) and we really enjoyed the festive atmosphere – with a cocktail offering – of the place. Our project to open a venue dates back to 2016, and there had already been a nice wave of cocktail bar creations at that time.

Cocktails were entering French culture, and we needed to stand out. We wanted a bar where cocktails were not the sole motivation for coming. Thus, music became the key: we were all passionate about it, and it had to be the primary reason to visit our bar.

Then, the "low ABV" orientation and Japanese spirits were not part of our initial project. Indeed, our first menus resembled what I was used to doing at Sherry Butt, my main source of inspiration at the time. It was the result of a meeting with Adrienne Saulnier-Blache (Note: the founder of the distribution company Madame Saké), who came with products we already knew – like shochus and yuzushu – but of remarkable quality and with a quite different approach from what we were used to tasting. We let ourselves be guided by her range, tasting lesser-known spirits, such as unfiltered sakés or barley shochus.

We were among the first to come into contact with her, and the opportunity to work with products we weren't used to having logically led us down a new path. The more delicate nature of these ingredients led us to reconsider our way of balancing cocktails, requiring a new approach. We had naturally found our niche.

Absence of a thematic menu.

Conceptual menus are a good idea – and every bar should develop its own identity – but that does not align with the philosophy of Fréquence.

As we wanted to enhance the musical dimension of the establishment, we didn’t want to impose a too strong vision of drinks on our customers. Indeed, we do not cater only to enthusiasts, and it is important that someone who has never tasted a cocktail does not feel lost or caught off guard by a somewhat complex menu. Hence a rather minimalist approach, with good readability.

The number of ingredients used per cocktail is limited. The idea of Fréquence is as follows: come, we listen to music, we offer cocktails, but also beer and cider. The key word is simplicity, and with very thematic menus, it becomes more complicated to maintain such an approach. That’s why we have never invited other bars or done "guests": cocktails are part of the bar's concept, but they are not its sole reason for being. This explains why we are somewhat distanced from the cocktail scene and rankings, even though we have, of course, been pleased to be featured in the Top 100 (Note: Fréquence was ranked 96th in the 50 Best Bars 2021).

The audience tends to differ depending on the day of the week, but we strive to maintain the same menu, even though it is challenging. The evening clientele – we are open until 4 AM on Fridays and Saturdays – comes for the music, to dance, and to have fun. And, even though the menu has been organized in this way, we are very pleasantly surprised, as cocktails remain our top sellers.

Our markers are the Gin Tonic and the Moscow Mule. If they sell too much over several weekends in a row, it means our offering is no longer meeting customer expectations, and we need to rethink our proposals.

A successful cocktail experience is not solely about taste.

Is a cocktail better with good music? Absolutely! Whether it’s a cocktail, wine, or food, everything we consume corresponds to a moment. And, in my opinion, the moment is paramount; taste represents about 30% of the whole.

Then, many elements come into play: glassware, comfortable seating, the right temperature in the bar. For example, when drinking pastis on vacation in the south, the same product will have less charm in Paris in winter. Yet, it is identical, but the ambiance changes everything.

At first, Fréquence was open on Sundays and Mondays, and those days were very quiet, with customers mainly at the counter. We talked a lot with them – more about music than cocktails – and ended up playing records that might please them. These people experienced a great time and returned because we introduced them to artists, there weren’t many people – so the sound was enveloping – while enjoying well-crafted drinks. This harmonious ensemble also contributes to the success of the tasting moment.

Previously, the bartender was a bit too aloof, even condescending. I remember – ten years ago – that we often talked about the need to "educate people." That’s not a term I agree with. We strive to offer something that will please; it’s not education.

Today, customers know this universe better, so our relationships are more egalitarian, horizontal, and that’s pleasant.

A rotation of the menu according to seasonality and whims.

Regarding the renewal of the menu, we impose nothing on ourselves, except to stick to the season. We work with the farmer from our street, who operates in short circuits. All his producers are located in the Paris region, and when certain ingredients are no longer available, we simply move on to something else. He also has connections in Sicily, which allows us to benefit from a wide range of products.

If some cocktails require ingredients with very short seasons – like cherries, strawberries, rhubarb – the menu will change very often, which is less the case in winter. However, if the team has a flurry of ideas at the same time, we can change the entire menu without hesitation. Similarly, when a cocktail works very well, it eventually bores us, and it comes off the menu.

On the occasion of the sixth anniversary of Fréquence, we brought back the best-sellers from the past years for a small week, before proposing a new menu.

As for the process of creating a recipe, most of the time it’s the discovery of a spice or an ingredient that will inspire us; the spirit usually comes in last. However, vermouth or aperitif categories can guide us from the beginning of the thought process.

Building a loyal clientele over time.

Fréquence did not experience an "explosive" start; the place has been built patiently, with each year being better than the last. This has allowed us to create a loyal and regular clientele over time. Consequently, we have felt little of the difficult periods, such as the absence of tourists, and even COVID... Hence the feeling of having built our bar on solid foundations and that it is destined to last.

Since the reopening of international flights, we have had many articles abroad. A year ago, the clientele was evenly split between tourists and Parisians. Since then, the latter has dominated. Certainly, the foreign clientele is wonderful: enthusiastic and curious to discover our work. Moreover, due to vacation, they are less concerned about spending. But, the relationships are not the same. With Parisians, we learn to know people's tastes, a connection is created. It’s very enjoyable. Having a balanced presence of these two audiences is an asset.

Upcoming opening of a restaurant in Corsica (with a cocktail offering)

I am originally from Corsica and have been living in Paris for 12 years. Therefore, I would like to "return to my roots." So, with Matthieu and Baptiste (Note: Baptiste Radufe, the third partner of Fréquence), we are teaming up to open a restaurant there this season, where we will blend what we have learned during all our years of experience.

There will be chef residencies, at least in the first year. We will have a vegetable garden – which belonged to my grandfather – that we will use for the restaurant. Initially, the establishment will be open only for the season, as it is a 100% outdoor project, in a garden with a sea view. The area is beautiful.

I will be there during the beautiful season and will make trips back to Paris in winter to help out at the bar. It will be a new and quite intense experience from May to October. Then, the rest of the year will be dedicated to working the garden, keeping seeds, growing plants in winter to transform and use them in summer at the restaurant, but also – why not – at Fréquence.

In Porto-Vecchio – where I come from – everyone of the same age knows each other and follows each other's paths outside the island. Many people are curious to discover this cocktail universe in which I operate. I will therefore bring my experience in this field.

Our establishment will primarily be a restaurant, but we will strive to have a menu of six cocktails, very refined, very crafted. Quite logically, we will highlight Corsican products: plants and herbs, but also spirits, such as P&M whiskies, Mavela liqueurs, and particularly the Cap Corse Mattei white, which has been one of my favorites since I discovered it years ago at Sherry Butt. Since then, I have continued to use it on all my menus. It’s a brand I am delighted to work with and which has offered to help us with our project there.

Later, when I am settled, I do not rule out dreaming of creating a product – probably a vermouth – locally. We are very close to Hedon Distribution and its founder Cédric Kanté, and if this initiative comes to fruition, he is typically the kind of person I would go to. With Fréquence and our restaurant, we should then have the sufficient structure to "push" such a project.