ELEVATING THE CULINARY INDUSTRY IN MALTA

Words by Rachel Zammit Cutajar Photography by Julia Boikova

The opening of luxury franchise Beefbar Malta has put investor Jean Paul Testa and his wife Hanna on a path to create better dining opportunities on the island. They talk to EBM about Jean Paul’s moment of love at first sight with Beefbar, his journey to secure the brand, and the chance he was given to elevate the Maltese culinary scene.

Jean Paul Testa, owner of the Beefbar franchise in Malta, is a foodie both by nature and by nurture. While growing up, he always lent a hand with his family’s restaurant. However, when it came to his father’s retirement, Jean Paul had declined to take over from him, and decided to pursue another path. “I wanted to be a pilot or a lawyer. I had bigger dreams, and I couldn’t imagine myself spending my life in the catering industry. The reality was that a law degree took too much time. I was eager to make strides, and I wanted to start working as soon as possible. I didn’t want to spend that much time at university, so I jumped straight in.”

Jean Paul’s wife Hanna quietly listens during the interview, adding comments here and there when Jean Paul is overly conservative. But undoubtedly, Hanna is no meek wife. She is Jean Paul’s trusted business partner and has been at the heart of the company they had formed together over last twelve years. She’s also the one who constantly encourages Jean Paul to travel, in order to eat and drink at the best restaurants around the world. “We have a list of spots we visit every year – Capri, Mykonos and Dubai… We’re always adding to the list as we go along. When we travel, we have every meal planned out before setting off. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner… all the restaurants are booked in advance to make sure we don’t miss out on any opportunities.” Every day is an opportunity to research cuisine, with Instagram as a handy guide to help them decide on where to eat and which destinations to travel to. “We like to go to famous restaurants such as Mayfair’s Sexy Fish, Zuma in Rome and Scorpios in Mykonos, but we also enjoy simple food and eating with the locals. Fontelina, the restaurant at a beach club in Capri, is paradise on earth. Simple pasta dishes served over a view of the Faraglioni makes you feel like you’re in a 1970s movie.”

It was on one of these trips that Jean Paul discovered Beefbar. When travelling to Nice by boat, they stopped in Monaco and decided on Beefbar for dinner. Jean Paul was immediately enamoured by the understated luxury and vast selection of meats available. “I’m a beef aficionado, so this was an easy choice. As soon as I stepped inside, I felt like a woman at a Valentino store. Like dresses, the cuts of beef were so varied and perfectly displayed; I was in heaven. At that dinner, I had joked I would bring Beefbar over to Malta.” This was in 2015, and although Jean Paul tried to secure the franchise, Beefbar had been too busy to consider Malta at the time. But when Jean Paul gets a bee in his bonnet, there’s little he won’t do to achieve his goals. After years of persistence, they signed the contract in January 2019, and opened Beefbar on the beach in August that same year. “The location went from a McDonald’s outlet to Beefbar as we know it today in just eight months.

From the Maltese bajtar tax-xewk (prickly pears) embroidered onto the plush cushions, traditional luzzu (fishing boat) emojis, to plates detailed with illustrations of old Maltese buses, there is a subtle hint of Malta’s brand in Beefbar’s design. Sandy coloured stone, concrete, ropes, as well as large apertures looking over spectacular views of the sea… these materials are distinctly Malta, elevated with a designer finish by none other than architectural legends Humbert and Poyet. The luxury location has a menu to match. With meats displayed much like a wine list, expect beef from top farms around the world in varying cuts. What remains consistent is the quality. Whichever cut you choose, you’re guaranteed a delectable meal. The mini burgers have always been a hit at Beefbar. Delicate morsels of the most succulent Wagyu beef with three different sauces are always a great idea, whether you’re in the mood for a light lunch by the pool, or just to have something to soak up that fourth cocktail! This summer, patrons will be delighted by a box of twenty-five mini burgers, each revealing an emoji underneath - perfect for those mid-party munchies!

“I got the idea for this when I was in my apartment in Gozo and opened my wardrobe. I thought the tie rack, with all its individual boxes, would look really cool with burgers in them. Beefbar headquarters added the emojis we’ve become known for at the bottom of the box, so one is revealed every time someone picks up a burger. They will soon be serving these party boxes of mini burgers in Beefbar beaches all over the world.”

Jean Paul is not just an aficionado of dining out. He’s also a great cook himself, favouring simple dishes from his childhood, such as traditional timpana, Maltese rabbit and whole barbecued lamb. “Today, everyone’s gone down the fine dining path. Every restaurant is serving you food with a flower and three dots of sauce. I prefer to use simple, quality ingredients that speak for themselves. No need for flowers and foam.”

This sentiment is echoed in his list of favourite restaurants in Malta, where quality ingredients are cooked without fuss. “Rita’s in Lapsi for traditional rabbit, Mġarr ix-Xini in Gozo for fish, and Tartarun for seafood.”

Beefbar was not the Testa’s first culinary adventure, having created Cibo and French Affaire at Tigné Point from scratch, as well as consulting on various restaurant projects prior. They’ve grown to be trusted restaurateurs, garnering renowned franchises such as luxury Parisian Pâtisserie, Ladurée and the Napoli Pizzeria, Rosso Pomodoro, all of which have now been sold.

Jean Paul believes that Malta’s culinary scene is on the rise, with more luxury brands considering the island. However, he identifies pitfalls that need to be overcome. He believes that weak infrastructure is the main concern. “Valletta is covered in pigeon droppings, rubbish is left outside on the streets, ghetto caravan towns are lining our shores. Trying to convince people to come and visit Malta is already a struggle. We need to make sure they’re not shocked by basic infrastructural failures to which we’ve become desensitised. If you want to attract a luxury brand to the island, you have to present a luxury location. And this is where we fall short.” A lack of creativity on the island is another concern. “When someone creates something new, copycats mushroom all over the island in a few months. We need to invest in creativity and start to produce things that are fresh, whether it’s in design, menu creation or cocktail lists.”

Jean Paul notes that non-alcoholic cocktails are experiencing a boom the world over, but Malta has been slow on the uptake. “More and more people are concerned about their health and want to enjoy an evening without over-drinking. The non-alcoholic cocktail lists on the island are still very basic. At Beefbar, we’re working on better options for the teetotaller, though this is still a work in progress.”

The Beefbar concept allows you to soak up the sun on top of a designer sunbed by an infinity pool overlooking St Paul’s Island. Add luxurious cocktails and a plate of the finest meats on the island to that image, and it’s easy to see how Jean Paul and Hanna are shaping the local scene into something more on par with the international luxury market.

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