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TROYCAMPBELL
Only in Miami would we find a success story
with a beautiful cultural twist like this: Late
last year, a Canadian businessman and his
California-born, model-turned-entrepreneur wife
(who is of Jamaican and Danish descent) opened
up both a Saint-Tropez-style restaurant and Italian
sandal boutique in South Beach within weeks of
one other. As the owners of the French seafood
brasserie Maison dAzur and
made-to-order sandal shop Tuc-
cia di Capri, Stephan Fortier and
Tove Nord are bringing Miami its
latest tastes of the South of
France and Italian Riviera.
Fortier was born and raised in Montreal,
where at least one memorable trip to South Beach
left him with a lasting impression. While studying
business at the University of Quebec, he opened
his first restaurant and named it Ocean Drive. A
second, Restaurant Club Lounge 737, soon fol-
lowed, as did a modeling and talent agency. In
1996, he bought the rights to publish Ocean Drive
magazine in Canada, which he operated for three
years.
I was impressed with what was going on [in
Miami Beach] and wanted to start a similar con-
cept in Montreal, explains the 36-year-old Fortier,
who sold all of his Canadian businesses and
moved to New York in 1998. Not long after he met
his wifeSacramento-born Nordat a Manhat-
tan gym, they began discussing business proposi-
tions. On one of our first dates, [Stephan] asked
me what Id do if I werent modeling, she says. I
was always cooking, so I told him maybe a restau-
rant or a catering business. He said, Oh, its so
easy, we should do one together and made it
PORTRAITBYGARYJAMES
STEPHAN FORTIER AND TOVE NORD European Luxe Redux
Stephan Fortier and Tove Nord, here in their
newly opened Maison dAzur restaurant in
The Anglers Boutique Resort, hope to offer
more substance to Miamis increasingly
sophisticated palates.
They are bringing Miami tastes of the
South of France and Italian Riviera.
BEACH PATROL
Maison dAzurs elegant dining room
is rich in wood, plush velvet and silk.
220 Ocean Drive February 2008
BY SUZY BUCKLEY
BP STEPAHNIE_FEB_ODM 1/16/08 4:54 PM Page 229
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JUST THE FACTSTove Nord
Now playing on your iPod: Led Zeppelin.
Biggest pet peeve: Pretension of any sort. No time for it, no tolerance: Its a waste
of energy in general.
Music youre embarrassed to admit you loved: Barry Manilow.
How you stay in shape: Good genes.
Television show you stay home to watch: I TiVo 30 Rock.Tina Fey is a genius. I
love that woman and everything she writes.
Most embarrassing moment: Falling off the treadmill in the gym the first time I
saw my husband. The man was fine but he knew it: I had to make him work for it!
Words of wisdom: Better to remain quiet and be thought a fool than to open yourmouth and remove all doubt.
JUST THE FACTSStephan Fortier
Favorite singer of all time: Elvis, baby! Not as much for the music as for his per-
sona.
Odd jobs before now: I once had the brilliant idea of starting a furniture store
when I was 13out of my parents houseselling their furniture while they left for
church one afternoon. Needless to say it was the shortest job I ever kept, and Im still
feeling the pain.
Your greatest asset: My power of delusion.
Labels that show up most frequently in your closet: Varvatos and Armani.
Splurge food: A quart of Hagen-Dazs Dulce de Leche.
Favorite dish on the menu at Maison dAzur: Le pouletCajun [the Cajun chick-
en].
Where youll go on your next vacation: Where no one can find me and I can
really disconnect: probably deep into the Costa Rican jungle or the Maldives.
No one knows: I was the first person to ever buy the rights to Ocean Drivemaga-
zine. I launched a Canadian English edition at the tender age of 22.
seem like you could do it with
one hand tied behind your back.
He sold me on it, I naively
jumped right in, and we man-
aged to work it out. For two
years, Fortier worked the front of
the house at their hip Italian
restaurant in New York, Pazza
Notte, while she cooked in the
kitchen; the couples eventual
success led them to hire a chef
and freed up their time to open a
second concept, Loft Restaurant
& Lounge.
When the developers of the
new Anglers Boutique Resort
sought a New York-based restau-
rateur to operate a dining con-
cept on the hotels first floor,
they met with Fortier and Nord
and all felt it was a perfect fit.
The minute we saw the place we sawthe potential, Fortier explains. Building
out the interiors with lots of wood, rich
velvets and silks, Maison dAzur came to
life in December as a warm, comfortable
gem reminiscent of the Cte dAzur. Its
fresh fish is sent overnight daily to
South Beach from all over the world,
while its titillating aural backdrop is pro-
duced by acclaimed DJ Bruno Salan,
formerly of Saint-Tropezs Villa Romana.
Early last month, the couple
debuted customized handmade sandal
shop Tuccia di Capri just off of Lincoln
Road. Inspired by their European travels,
the couple tried unsuccessfully to hire
cobblers from Capri to work for them in
the U.S. We always won-
dered why no one had ever
brought a concept like this
here, but, after negotiating
with cobblers in Italy, we
found out why, Fortier says.
None of them wanted to
move. Capri is a total par-
adise. So the 36-year-old
Nord moved to Capri for a
few months, studied under a
master cobbler and learned
to make the shoes herself.
Now, the shelves of their
high-gloss, old-school Holly-
wood-glam boutique are
stocked with pairs of sandals
made from leather, patent
leather, snakeskin, ostrich
and more in hues that range
from bright and candy-col-
ored to metallic. Nord or oneof her trained staff can also
churn out a customized pair
on site in about 20 minutes.
Future outposts of both
Maison dAzur and Tuccia di Capri are underway in New York, although Fortier
and Nord will always call Miami their second home. Miami is really becoming
more of a sophisticated city, with people from all over the world and such a nice
vibe and energy, he says. We arrived at a good time and think were able to
bring a certain substance to South Beach that people were really ready for.
STEPHAN FORTIER & TOVE NORD
Maison dAzur came to life as a warm,
comfortable gem reminiscent of
the Cte dAzur.
Mediterranean salad with heirloom tomatoes,
buffalo mozzarella, grilled asparagus and fresh basil.
Caviar served with vodka and
champagne shooters, crme frache
and accompaniments.
The plateau royal, with oysters, clams, lobster,
king crab, shrimp cocktail, whelks, periwinkles,
toast and condiments.
Chef Gwenael Le Pape brings the
flavors of his native Brittany, France,
to Maison dAzur.PHOTOGRAPHSBYTROYCAMPBELL.
222 Ocean Drive February 2008
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12.8.08
"Life Isn't Measured by the Breaths We Take, But by the Moments That Take Our
Breath Away"
From Boo Zamek
I had an experience last Tuesday night at the cozy Hotel Astor on Washington Ave. and 10thSt. on South Beach that personified the quotation above, which is engraved on the cover of
the dessert menu at MAISON D'AZUR. This new French restaurant in the lobby of the Astor
calls itself "fabulous" on its business card - how very modest. From the dcor to the wine list
to the service to the lighting to - most importantly - the food, the word "perfection" doesn't
do it justice. In recent years, Miami has become one of the world's leaders in the fine arts
with our new Performing Arts Center, Art Basel, the Design District, etc. Now, with the
opening of Maison d'Azur, we are joining the ranks of New York, Atlanta and other cities that
offer world class cuisine. If you are a foodie, have a special occasion to celebrate, or just
crave a SPECTACULAR meal, call Maison d'Azur (305.403.1062) and make a reservation for
an experience you won't soon forget.
Visitors per month: 9,300
Ad Equivalency: $575.00
http://justaskboo.com/
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001SmdR5apk2SNhfsAcAHQPOuZdkOfcnz7BpdORJPXdiv--FXL3Buadadqy--mJ3X4FMqtPPEpQimZJJTY6R267qnqEhGIgEvQ4x_QkfS9RkTwnROp_d6KEsg==http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001SmdR5apk2SNhfsAcAHQPOuZdkOfcnz7BpdORJPXdiv--FXL3Buadadqy--mJ3X4FMqtPPEpQimZJJTY6R267qnqEhGIgEvQ4x_QkfS9RkTwnROp_d6KEsg==8/8/2019 stephan fortier
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Media Impressions: 1,100,000Media Value: $1375.00
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THE HOLLYWOOD MINUTE
Canada's Portal to the world of News Entertainment Fashion and
Lifestyle..."Get the Buzz"
MIAMI --- (THM) Gloria Estefan and Fran Dresher having dinner at
Maison d' Azur at the Astor on South Beach.
Visitors per Month: N/A
Ad Equivalency: N/A
http://thehollywoodminute.typepad.com/thehollywoodminute1/
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November 17, 2008French Mayhem A New Double Play at the AstorYou've always had a thing for
French accents. And African
accents. And belly dancing.
So we think you'll like the Hotel
Astor's new twofer, the reopened
Maison d'Azur and the totally new
Layla.
First, you'll want to get your
bearings. As you enter the hotel
lobby, head left for the bar and
outdoor terrace, where you'll
admire a rose petal-strewn
fountain and the hotel's
trademark water wall, now done
up with mermaids (apparently
they received your letters).
Indoors, the subterranean space presents two choices. There's the
main room, with a French brasserie-style menu and black-and-white
photos of Parisian starletsstay here when you're dining your own
http://ud.sparklist.com/t/184930/928163/50775821/0/http://ud.sparklist.com/t/184930/928163/50775821/0/8/8/2019 stephan fortier
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Brigitte Bardot. Option B is Layla, with a menu of North African treats
and a bar serving anise-inflected cocktails (ideal if your date mentions
a fondness for Black Jack gum).
If it's privacy you require, reserve Maison's two-story wine room. And
if it's women's tailoring you require (it's none of our business), hit up
the atelier on your way to the raw bar, where a designer will
sometimes be inside, musing and stitching. This also means that, in
addition to occasional belly-dancing performances in the lounge, there
are plans for live modeling throughout the restaurant.
Oh, if they must...
Maison d'Azur and Layla at the Hotel Astor, now open, 956 WashingtonAve (between 9th and 10th), 305-403-1062 (Maison), 305-403-7618
(Layla)
Ad Equivalency: Approximately: $3,000.00Visitors per Month: 100,000
http://ud.sparklist.com/t/184930/928163/50772001/0/http://ud.sparklist.com/t/184930/928163/50772001/0/http://ud.sparklist.com/t/184930/928163/50772001/0/8/8/2019 stephan fortier
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Media Impressions: 1,100,000
Media Value: $1 734
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Ad Equivalency: TBD
Viewership: TBD
The Hotel Astor: Maison d'Azur & Layla
With the FrenchMaison dAzurpairing itself with the North Africantinged Layla, it
might seem as if the colonialists have taken over the inn. But this retrofit is less Battle of
Algiers and more Bob le Flambeur by way of Casablanca, which is to say
somethings swinging to come from the crash of cultures. That both happen to be located inSouth Beachs landmark 1936 Hotel Astor only makes the venture all the more
resplendent; that each offer cuisines as connected as they are disparate, makes it all the
more delicious. Add the fact that the charming garden annex is perfectly suited for either
pre or postprandial diplomacy and you might just find yourself forgetting the French and
the North Africans were ever at war in the first place.
New, now and hot
metromixSouth Florida
Nine new-on-the-scene places you need to be
By John Hood
Special to Metromix, Posted December 19, 2008
http://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/photogallery/new-now-and-hot/844404/content
If you havent noticed, theres been a lot of hustle and bustle on the streets, and not because its
the holidays. Eateries are opening and DJs are spinning in spots as hot as the oven and as cool
as an ocean breeze. We could tell you about all of them, but whats the point? Well just tellyou about what new, now, hot and worth your time.
http://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/seafood/joley-south-beach/128957/contenthttp://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/seafood/joley-south-beach/128957/contenthttp://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/seafood/joley-south-beach/128957/contenthttp://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/photogallery/new-now-and-hot/844404/photo/allhttp://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/photogallery/new-now-and-hot/844404/photo/allhttp://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/photogallery/new-now-and-hot/844404/contenthttp://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/photogallery/new-now-and-hot/844404/contenthttp://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/photogallery/new-now-and-hot/844404/contenthttp://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/photogallery/new-now-and-hot/844404/photo/allhttp://southflorida.metromix.com/restaurants/seafood/joley-south-beach/128957/content8/8/2019 stephan fortier
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Media Impressions: 203,500Media Value: $1,781.67
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Media Impressions: 111,000Media Value: $1,293.33
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Media Impressions: 1,100,000Media Value: $1 192.00
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Media Impressions: 1,100,000Media Value: $1 192.00
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Media Impressions: 1,100,000Media Value: $1 192.00
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Media Impressions: 70,000Media Value: $2,500.00
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