Due to open mid-July, French restaurant, patisserie, delicatessen and wine cellar Les Alpes is Anne-Marie and Serge Guilhaumou's newest adventure.
With three world voyages under their belts, the French couple look forward to sharing not only their passion for delicious French food and wine but their incredible experiences and stories too.
After nine years building boats in Auckland, they decided to relocate to Queenstown, which they first discovered during a stopover on the Whitbred Around the World yacht race in 1990.
They "fell in love" with the resort and now aim to bring a touch of European apres ski experience to their new home.
The new adventure incorporates Mrs Guilhaumou's passion for food which she honed while working as a chef on some of the world's most luxurious super yachts.
"My family was in hospitality ... and [on the yachts] it was like a five-star hotel," she said.
"We had to look after the guests, the owners - there was no limit on quality," Mr Guilhaumou said.
They promise Les Alpes, named after a mountain range in the south of France, will be more than a restaurant, boasting a full cellar of French and selected New Zealand wines overseen by 2007 sommelier of the year Josselin de Gesincourt, who will help guests match their food with the right wine choice.
Another set of doors will take the patrons to a delicatessen and patisserie which will be stocked with French delicacies, such as flavoured mustards and oils, olives, country pates, and sweets and cookies shipped directly from Provence.
"We want people to be able to browse around and feel comfortable," Mrs Guilhaumou said.
Light continental style lunch foods - quiches, sandwiches and salads - will also be available and can be eaten at French cafe-style tables.
At the back of the premises will be a bistro-style restaurant and bar designed to make everyone feel at home.
For winter, look for signature dishes such as hearty Savoy breakfast dish croute savoyarde, made of fried eggs, bread and bacon.
A cosy fireplace surrounded by couches where guests could relax would complete a chalet-style experience, Mrs Guilhaumou said.
She envisages patrons flipping through French magazines sipping a glass of Bordeaux, paired with a platter of bread and dips while Edith Piaf plays.
"It will be a journey across France and across time through food."
