The essence of modern Morocco comes alive through the eyes of Bruno Ussel and Stephen di Renza. Fez, Morocco is home to restaurant Numéro7. When guests enter they leave the bustling noises of the Medina outside and come into a room bursting with natural heavenly light, immediately transported into a modern dream-like space. The original tile patterns, marble, fixtures, and finishes of this contemporary restoration tell a charming story. Artwork by Japanese artist Keiichi Tahara and Italian artist Maïmouna Patrizia Guerresi can all be discussed over a delicious meal. Stephen di Renza is the former fashion director for Bergdorf Goodman’s Paris buying office, no wonder all of the design details are impeccably on point.
The bright hues of fresh and local ingredients create inviting color in this monotonal space. French Chef Bruno Ussel says, ”finding the freshest, locally produced ingredients available each day at local markets and serving them in dishes I would call clean, pan-Mediterranean with Moroccan influences.” Chef Ussel may have tapped into a delicious new cuisine for inspiration but he does not stray too far from his French roots, the afternoon service is dedicated to pasteries and transforms the restaurant into a ‘salon de thé’. Numéro7 is the ideal place to celebrate the old world charms combined with new wave design.
Photo Credit: Steven Rothfeld
Artwork: Keiichi Tahara, Maïmouna Patrizia Guerresi
