From Monaco, Maya Collection shines abroad
MayaBay, the first restaurant opened by the Maya Collection group, showcases Japanese and Thai cuisine. © MayaBay
We tried out MayaBay, the first Monegasque establishment opened by the group. Maya’s know-how should be available in a dozen countries within a few years.
Nems, dim sum, sushi, amberjack sashimi, prick prao lobster, grilled beef salad… Our plates are full of a blend of traditional Japanese and Thai dishes. MayaBay delivers on its promise of inviting customers into what you might call a double restaurant. The different rooms are decorated in the respective style of the two Asian countries, but the establishment has chosen not to keep the two worlds separate, instead bringing them together in a warm and exotic Asian atmosphere. Only the restaurant’s menu, with its wide choice of dishes, will point diners in the direction of one traditional cuisine or the other.
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With the Maya Collection group and MayaBay as his first establishment, Jean-Victor Pastor made a big splash and won over the local clientele. After several local successes, the brand is now ‘travelling abroad’, first to Dubai in 2022, then to Montenegro a few months ago and soon to Riyadh, Doha, London and Mykonos.
These projects are in addition to the opening of a hotel in Courchevel in December 2024. Establishments in Miami, Las Vegas, Bangkok and Singapore are also in the pipeline. In France, Méribel is home to the luxury La Traye refuge and the top-of-the-range Maya Altitude bistro.
Franchising Monegasque establishments
It all started with the MayaBay, which opened in 2007 as a gourmet Japanese restaurant, with Thai cuisine introduced in 2009. This is where some of the staff for the franchised restaurants are trained.
In Monaco, the restaurant was joined by MayaMia and MayaJah, which focus on Italian and Mediterranean cuisine respectively. “Each establishment has its own standards and specialist chefs,” says MayaBay Executive Chef Christophe Dupuy. The Maya Collection group is franchising its international openings based on these models. Dubai, Montenegro and Mykonos feature or will feature the MayaBay, and Doha will have its MayaJah.