Thibault Sizun Restaurant Janine
Restaurant Janine is a traditional Parisian neighbourhood bistro that offers genuine hospitality and a seasonal, farm-to-table menu — without the pretension. It’s a welcoming space where ingredients, people, and shared moments are at the heart of the experience.
Thibault’s path to opening Janine took him from Michelin-starred kitchens to working abroad as a private chef, and eventually to front-of-house. These experiences taught him independence, self-confidence, and the importance of creating memorable moments around a table, far beyond just the food.
Working front-of-house revealed how much the welcome, service, and genuine connection shape the diner’s experience — and where he developed his passion for wine, the stories it tells, and the way it brings people together.
All of this has shaped Thibault’s vision for Janine: a vibrant, generous cuisine where the dining room, the wine, and the table are just as important as what’s on the plate.
We speak with Thibault about his connection to Batignolles, how place and community shape his work at Janine, and his ambition to create a true neighbourhood institution.
(Photos by Stephane Riss)
Mosey Guide (mg): What is your connection to Batignolles?
Thibault Sizun (ts): Je travaille aux Batignolles depuis3 ans années maintenant. Ce qui me retient, ce sont les liens humains : les clients fidèles, les commerçants voisins, cette sensation de faire partie d’un tout.
Les Batignolles, c’est le quartier que j’ai choisi. Pas par hasard. Il y a ici un équilibre rare entre vie de village et énergie parisienne.
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I’ve been working in Batignolles for three years now. What keeps me here are the human connections: loyal customers, neighbouring shopkeepers, this feeling of being part of something bigger.
Batignolles is the neighbourhood I chose. Not by chance. There’s a rare balance here between village life and Parisian energy.
(mg) What does Batignolles mean to you?
(ts) C’est un endroit où je me sens à ma place. Il y a une vraie douceur de vivre, des habitudes, des visages familiers. On prend le temps de se dire bonjour. C’est précieux à Paris.
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It’s a place where I feel at home. There’s a real sense of well-being, established routines, familiar faces. People take the time to say hello. That’s precious in Paris.
There’s a rare balance here between village life and Parisian energy.
(mg) How does being in Batignolles shape what you do?
(ts) Janine n’existerait pas ailleurs de la même manière. Le quartier influence la carte, l’ambiance, les horaires, même la manière d’accueillir.
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Janine wouldn’t exist anywhere else in the same way. The neighbourhood influences the menu, the atmosphere, the hours, even the way we welcome guests.
(mg) What makes Batignolles different from other places you’ve lived or worked?
(ts) Le sentiment de communauté. Les Batignolles ont gardé une âme. Ce n’est pas un quartier anonyme : chacun y a sa place, son histoire.
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The sense of community. Batignolles has retained its soul. It’s not an anonymous neighbourhood: everyone has their place, their story.
(mg) What does your perfect day in Batignolles look like?
(ts) Un café matinal en face au bar 3 pièces cuisine dans le quartier, un service du midi animé, quelques échanges avec les habitués, une soirée pleine de rires et une salle qui vit.
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An early morning coffee across the street at the 3 Pièces Cuisine bar in the neighbourhood, a lively lunch service, a few chats with the regulars, an evening full of laughter, and a vibrant dining room.
(mg) Who are the other makers, creators, or people in the neighbourhood that inspire you?
(ts) Les commerçants indépendants du quartier, les artisans, les restaurateurs passionnés. Ceux qui tiennent bon, qui font les choses avec cœur, même quand ce n’est pas facile.
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The independent shopkeepers in the neighbourhood, the artisans, the passionate restaurateurs. Those who persevere, who do things with heart, even when it’s not easy.
(mg) What are you working on right now that excites you?
Mon objectif, c’est que le lieu continue de vivre, d’évoluer et, avec le temps, devienne une véritable institution de quartier. Un endroit où l’on revient, où l’on célèbre des moments importants, où les souvenirs s’accumulent.
Je travaille aussi étroitement avec mon directeur de salle sur de nouveaux projets. Nous sommes en recherche d’un nouveau lieu, différent, complémentaire… mais c’est encore un secret. Ce qui est certain, c’est que l’idée reste la même : créer des espaces où l’on se sent bien, autour d’une table, avec du sens et de l’émotion.
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My goal is for the place to thrive, to evolve, and, over time, become a true neighbourhood institution. A place people return to, where they celebrate important moments, where memories are made.
I’m also working closely with my restaurant manager on new projects. We’re looking for a new location, something different, something complementary… but that’s still a secret. What’s certain is that the idea remains the same: to create spaces where people feel good, around a table, with meaning and emotion.
Batignolles has retained its soul. It’s not an anonymous neighbourhood: everyone has their place, their story.
(mg) Where is your next travel destination?
(ts) Une destination où l’on mange bien.
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A destination where the food is excellent.
(mg) How has travel changed the way you see the world?
(ts) Il m’a appris l’humilité et l’ouverture. Chaque culture a sa manière de recevoir, de partager, de vivre autour d’une table.
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It has taught me humility and openness. Every culture has its own way of receiving, sharing, and living around a table.
(mg) If you could recommend anywhere in the world for a mosey, where would it be?
(ts) Un lieu simple, vivant, authentique. Un endroit où l’on peut devenir un habitué, même en quelques jours. Finalement… un peu comme les Batignolles. Un bar incroyable a Munich, BARROOM.
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A simple, lively, authentic place. A place where you can become a regular, even in just a few days. Ultimately... a bit like Batignolles. An amazing bar in Munich, BARROOM.
Every culture has its own way of receiving, sharing, and living around a table.
Local knowledge
Favourite local ingredient or product:
Une baguette avec du beurre salée dessus.
A baguette with salted butter on top.
Best coffee in the neighbourhood:
Pleins Coeur.
Favourite shop:
L’hebesnite du vin.
The wine shop.
Go-to spot to reset or find inspiration:
Le restaurant, tôt le matin, avant l’ouverture. Le calme, les tables vides,. C’est un moment à moi.
The restaurant, early in the morning, before it opens. The calm, the empty tables. It’s my time.
Favourite time of day in Batignolles:
Le début de soirée. Quand la lumière change, que les tables se remplissent, que l’ambiance monte doucement. C’est là que le lieu pren
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Early evening. When the light changes, the tables fill up, and the atmosphere slowly builds. That’s when the place truly comes alive.
Batignolles’ best kept secret:
Sa capacité à faire oublier qu’on est à Paris. Par moments, on a l’impression d’être ailleurs.
Its ability to make you forget you’re in Paris. At times, you feel like you’re somewhere else entirely.
24 hours in Batignolles:
Je commencerais par un café chez 3 Pièces Cuisine, histoire de prendre le temps et de se mettre dans l’ambiance. Ensuite, une balade dans le quartier, sans itinéraire précis, juste flâner, observer la vie des Batignolles, croiser des visages familiers. Pour le déjeuner, Janine bien sûr — c’est l’endroit idéal pour comprendre ce que je fais et pourquoi je le fais. Et pour finir ce déjeuner de façon festive, un passage chez L’Ébéniste du Vin pour choisir une belle bouteille. Parce qu’une journée réussie aux
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I’d start with a coffee at 3 Pièces Cuisine, to take our time and get in the mood. Then, a stroll around the neighbourhood, without a specific itinerary, just wandering, observing life in Batignolles, and bumping into familiar faces. For lunch, Janine, of course — it’s the perfect place to understand what I do and why I do it. And to end lunch on a festive note, a visit to L’Ébéniste du Vin to choose a beautiful bottle. Because a successful day in Batignolles always ends with a good wine and a shared moment.
