Chez Josy

Meet Guillaume and his mum Bernadette who own Chez Josy on Plage de la Salis.

Chez Josy has been in the family since 1965 and is still a family run business today. I was told by Didi from restaurant Bacon that Chez Josy make the best Pan Bagnats in Antibes. Not a bad recommendation as Didi is one of the founders of the famous Michelin star Family run fish restaurant on the Cap.

I popped by to have a quick chat with Guillaume for the ILCD blog.

How long have you worked here?

I started working here when I was 18 and I am now 29 so I have been here for 11 years.

My grandparents started the snack 1965. We own the Cabin, it’s ours but we pay a fee to  stay here for the season.

We open on the 1st of April and we are allowed to stay until the 15th of october but usually we close the 1st week of October.

Didi from restaurant bacon told me that for the best Pan Bagnat I need to come here. Is that true?

Our speciality here is the Pan Bagnat yes but I don’t know if it’s the best, you will have to try it and decide for yourself. Our french fries are also popular. Everything here is homemade and freshly prepared every day. At the moment we have 2 other people working with us, my ‘Cherie’ and my friend Marco but during July and August there are 5 or six of us working in the Cabin. We get very very busy.

What do you love about your job?

Something I love is that, although I work  hard for six months, in the winter I can go on holiday whenever I want. Normally I work in the winter, I do the season in the mountains but I don’t have to. If I want I can travel for 6 months instead which I often do to places like Asia. I also love the weather, the beautiful girls on the beach , speaking with the clients every summer, I love all those things.

Did you meet your girlfriend here on the beach?

No actually my girlfriend came to Antibes when she was a baby. Her mother knew my father so we have known each other since we were children. We were childhood friends before we became a couple.

Guillaume with his mum and his “Cherie” Alizeé.

What’s a typical day for you?

I get up at at around 7.45

I start at 8.30 and finish at around 21.30. We close the snack at around 20.30 but then I spend maybe an hour tidying up the truck which is parked just behind the snack here. I re-stock the drinks and everything else we need for the following day.

In the morning I get everything ready for the day. Prepare the snack, put up the unbrellas, the bins, the boards with the menu and prices. Then I get the bread which I buy from a bakery in the old town, then I prepare everything for the days service.

Bernadette

Bernadette how long have you been working here?

I have been working here since 1980 so 37 years. I started working here just after I married Guillaumes father aged 22.

What do you love about working with Guillaume?

I work very very well with Guillaume, we have the same work ethic. I have another son but he doesn’t like this kind of work, it’s not what he wanted to do. Guillaume and I get on very well anyway so working together is easy.

Whose side of the family opened the Josy?

The snack was started by the parents of my husband. Josy was the nickname of my mother in law so that’s where the name Chez Josy comes from.

Chez Joly Opening Times:  7 days a week from 8.30 – 20.30 April-October

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