Sarasota Ford opens exclusive high-end restaurant
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Le Mans Kitchen. Photo: Selene San Felice/Axios
Going to a car dealership can feel a lot like going to a dentist, Mirza Velic admits.
- It's a painful and time-consuming experience that people try to avoid at all costs. His job as Sarasota Ford's chief experience officer is to change that.
State of play: To help people "forget time," as he calls it, Velic brought in hydraulic massage chairs, a large fish tank, a movie theater and the dealership's biggest undertaking yet — a fine dining restaurant headed by Michelin star chef José Martinez.
- Le Mans Kitchen, named after the 1966 race where Ford beat Ferrari, opened last month in a more than 3,000-square-foot space inside the dealership.
How it works: The restaurant is open only to the dealership's buyers and customers getting their cars serviced.
- Customers get a voucher for one food item and a drink of their choice per vehicle, and can order additional items at their own expense. The concept is what Velic calls "approachable luxury."
- "Whether they're driving F150s or Expeditions, we want them to enjoy the experience," he told Axios.
The bites: This is not a French restaurant, but it's also not a Ford's Garage. Menu items are simple and familiar — house-ground prime burgers, avocado toast, milkshakes, gelato, a Japanese-inspired souffle "pillow" pancake — but they're executed on a fine dining level.
- Martinez's French pastry skills shine in a tire-inspired circular croissant filled with peanut butter creme.
- Le Mans also serves made-to-order coffee from freshly ground beans, and mocktails (alcohol and car buying don't mix).
What they're saying: Martinez, who heads Longboat Key's renowned Maison Blanche, was skeptical when first approached about opening a restaurant in a car dealership. But he's embraced the concept.
- "This is how you progress and go forward," Martinez told Axios. "It's always fun to try new things."