High-End French Restaurant Opens In Sarasota Car Dealership

SARASOTA, FL — Sarasota Ford has teamed up with Michelin Star chef Jose Martinez, who is behind the award-winning Maison Blanche on Longboat Key, to open a high-end French restaurant inside the car dealership.

Le Mans Kitchen, a 3,367-square-foot, 38-seat private fine dining restaurant located in the dealership’s front end, opens Dec. 11, according to a news release.

The restaurant will be available only to Sarasota Ford buyers and their guests, as well as customers receiving automotive services at the dealership.

“Not only did we want to create something that was unlike anything anyone has ever imagined and turn the dealership experience completely upside down, but we also wanted to show appreciation to our loyal customers with a world-class experience,” Matthew Buchanan, president of Buchanan Automotive Group, said. “Le Mans Kitchen will give customers Michelin Star level food and mocktails paired with a world-class, private club level experience, with unmatched ambiance.”

Martinez was sold on the unique concept from the moment Buchanan approached him.

“When I first met with (him) about this, I told him this was a crazy idea but that I am up for the challenge,” Martinez said. “Since I started in the restaurant business, I’ve always compared a restaurant to a car. The front of the house is the exterior. It needs to be clean and beautiful every day. The back of the house is the engine. If you don’t have a good engine, you cannot win any race.”

The new restaurant is all about creating an elevated experience for Sarasota Ford customers. The company even hired a chief experience officer, Mirza Velic, to launch the concept.

“We have created a space that will completely immerse people. When you walk inside Le Mans Kitchen, it’s like being transported out of a car dealership and into another place and time in the French countryside,” Velic said. “Guests won’t want to leave and when they do, they’ll look forward to returning soon. It will feel like an intimate café with approachable luxury combined with top-notch cuisine.”

Le Mans Kitchen is located in the dealership’s former cafe. The Sarasota Ford team spent nine months renovating the space to transform it into the new eatery.
The dealership also offers customers an 11-seat movie theater and a relaxation room with hydro massage chairs.

The menu features “American-inspired cuisine with a French accent,” according to the news release. Items include the signature pillow pancakes, crème brûlée French toast, house ground prime burgers, heirloom caprese toast, mocktails, milkshakes with a gelato base, and made-to-order coffee, with beans ground per cup. The restaurant will offer a seasonal menu.

“Guests at Le Mans will enjoy the best of the best when they dine with us,” Blake Campbell, restaurant manager, said. “Everything is made from scratch, sustainably sourced and fresh. People will taste the difference immediately, and there will certainly be something that satisfies everyone’s palate.”