Meet Michael Franks and Robert Bell of Chez Melange in Redondo Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Franks and Robert Bell.

Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today. You can include as little or as much detail as you’d like.
I moved from London in 1976 and arrived in Redondo Beach, CA, which I obviously found to be very different from the London lifestyle. I wanted to incorporate the sophistication from my hometown into the relaxing kickback attitude that is Redondo Beach, CA. I had a vision for what I wanted Chez Melange to be and then in 1982, soon after arriving in the US, I met Robert Bell and we became business partners. Chez Melange was both our visions and even though I had a cooking background we made the decision that he would cook and I would serve. It has ended up to be the exact and perfect combination that we needed to produce and grow what is now Chez Melange. Throughout the years, the restaurant has gone through many changes to become what it is today: three restaurants under one roof. Bouzy Gastropub which is inspired by a French brasserie, English pub, and an American bar and grill; The Oyster Bar which carefully selects pristine seafood and handcrafted cocktails; and our newest addition Sea Change which is a formal, seafood-centric restaurant with a menu that continues to change daily.  This restaurant has not only allowed me to make a life-long vision of mine become a reality but it has also helped me build a beautiful life in the South Bay community and help me connect with so many amazing people along the way. It has been a pleasure and an honor to be apart of this huge accomplishment of having Chez Melange for 37 years. I look forward to watching it continue to grow and see what the next few years have in store for us!

Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think every business, whether you’re in the restaurant business or in some other field, always has its struggles. You learn from the mistakes you make along the way and in turn, you better yourself and your business from that. I think one of our biggest challenges thus far was shutting down Chez in 2008, going through all the struggles of that, and yet we came back shortly after and re-opened. Although that isn’t the easiest thing to do, we saw it through and came together to make it once again, a reality. I feel as if as a team, we always come up with creative ways to overcome any challenges and bumps in the road that surface. I have been lucky enough to have my amazing and wonderful wife Lisa, who I have worked and done life with for the past 40 years. She has been a huge part of my success and ability to continue to make leaps and bounds in this business. Having great support around you by family, friends, and employees give you a huge leg up and creates a healthy environment to be able to face any struggles and challenges that may show up along the way.

Tell us about your business/company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
Coming from England and being a Brit, I always wanted to have a true Gastropub like the ones we have back home. I think it always was and is important for me to keep things very authentic and build a good relationship with the community. Which is something we really take pride in at Chez. Another huge part of what I find important for our business is to keep things fresh, honest and seasonal, which is why we are constantly changing the menu. One thing that has stuck with me throughout the years that my dad would always tell me is, “You’re only as good as your last meal”. Every meal, every recipe, every combination we create is carefully chosen and I always love to tie in a little bit of London influence. I think our restaurant really sets itself apart for many reasons- we definitely bring a different kind of influence and culture to the laid back beach town of Redondo but apart from that we also are apart of the garden co-op Seed to Plate. This non-profit helps educate special needs students who help tend to our restaurant’s vegetable, fruit and herb garden at Valmonte Elementary School. We appreciate our community, the people who have made this restaurant possible and as successful as it is, and our loyal customers and want to give back to them as much as they give to us.

Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc?
I am so fulfilled and am so happy with what this restaurant has grown to be. I want to continue to grow as much as possible and build on what we have already accomplished. I will say one thing we stand firmly in and not budging on is the modern-day delivery service trend. As this trend continues to grow, we continue to stand our ground in not taking part in it. There are numerous reasons for this, but I would say one of the main ones would be because we are not willing to sacrifice the quality of the food that we serve. It may be easier and may bring in more income to take part in this delivery trend, but these are things we are willing to give up in order to assure the highest level of food quality possible. We always want to make sure your fresh fish or your perfectly cooked filet mignon is to the utmost standard and one we are proud to put our name behind. I believe our restaurant holds a ton of potential and maybe one day can open up another location so people can continue to experience a little slice of London’s culture in Los Angeles.

 

Pricing:

• $30 and under

Contact Info:

• Address: 1611 South Catalina Avenue Redondo Beach, CA 90277
• Website: www.chezmelange.com
• Phone: (310) 540-1222
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chezmelange/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chezmelangerestaurant/

Image Credit:
Chez Melange

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