Lyon, September 1, 2026 – After a two-year anticipation, the first Pavyllon school-restaurant by multi-starred Chef Yannick Alléno is set to open its doors in Lyon. Located at Place Bellecour, within the Institut Lyfe (formerly Institut Paul Bocuse), the establishment will welcome its first customers starting September 8, 2026, marking a significant milestone for the city’s gastronomic scene and culinary education.
A Delayed but Highly Anticipated Opening
The project, initially announced for late 2025, faced delays due to construction work. However, the countdown has now officially begun. The recruitment of the team is complete, and the first services are scheduled to commence on September 8, 2026, pending final technical adjustments.
This opening is the culmination of a strengthened partnership between Chef Alléno and Institut Lyfe. The new restaurant will replace L’Institut, the school’s long-standing pedagogical showcase, and will be housed within the Le Royal hotel-school at Place Bellecour.
Clément Lopez to Lead the Kitchens
Chef Clément Lopez will be at the helm of the kitchens, bringing his extensive experience from renowned establishments in France and the United States. Lopez, originally from Aix-en-Provence, moved to Lyon in 2019. He previously served as sous-chef at InterContinental Lyon and then as head chef at L’Artichaut within the Hôtel de l’Abbaye, where he developed a reputation for elegant and contemporary cuisine. He later led the kitchens of Brasserie Lyon Plage (Arteloge group) before being selected to direct the world’s first Pavyllon school-restaurant.
Lopez will be responsible for implementing Yannick Alléno’s culinary vision daily while mentoring future chefs in training.
The World’s First Pavyllon School-Restaurant
Lyon is not just gaining a new restaurant; it is becoming home to the world’s first Pavyllon school-restaurant. This innovative concept aims to immerse students in a real-world restaurant environment that embodies the philosophy of one of France’s greatest chefs. Students will gain practical experience in various aspects of gastronomy, including cooking, pastry, service, management, modern sauces, fermentations, and extraction techniques, all inspired by Yannick Alléno’s culinary approach.
Yannick Alléno: The World’s Most Starred Chef
Yannick Alléno is widely recognized as the most starred living chef globally, holding 17 Michelin stars across several establishments. His flagship restaurant, Pavillon Ledoyen in Paris, is the most starred independent gastronomic establishment in the world. With a presence in Paris, Monaco, and London, the Pavyllon concept is now extending to a hotel school for the first time.
“Embracing evolution and integrating new practices is, for me, at the heart of training young talents. With Institut Lyfe, we are building a framework where innovation and transmission coexist to serve the gastronomy of tomorrow,” stated Yannick Alléno.
A New Chapter for Institut Lyfe
For Institut Lyfe, which trains approximately 1,200 students from over 75 nationalities each year, this opening marks a significant step in its development. The school-restaurant enriches an already unique ecosystem that includes the five-star Le Royal hotel-school and the gastronomic restaurant Saisons in Écully.
Gilles Pélisson, President of Institut Lyfe, emphasized, “Our historic collaboration with Yannick Alléno, with whom we created the Sauce School in 2021, a unique pedagogical innovation worldwide, is now reaffirmed with strength and ambition, so that Institut Lyfe continues to be the reference for excellence in culinary arts, restaurant, and hospitality training, with an international and innovative vision inspired by the best.”
This highly anticipated opening in Lyon is more than just a new restaurant; it is a culinary laboratory where future great chefs will learn their craft under the guidance of Yannick Alléno and a chef intimately familiar with Lyon’s gastronomic landscape.
Source: lyonpeople.com
