What is FAHGA?
We’re the French American Hospitality & Gastronomy Association, but you can just call us FAHGA.
We’re a vibrant crew of hospitality pros, food lovers, and bon vivants who believe that great things happen when people come together over good food, good drinks, and good vibes.
Since 2016, we’ve been building a coast-to-coast community of chefs, hoteliers, winemakers, restaurateurs, and all-around hospitality rockstars. Our monthly L’Apéro Mixer events have brought together over 100 businesses and 6,000+ guests in cities like San Francisco, Napa, Dallas, New York, and Miami. If you’ve ever been to one, you know: it’s not just networking, it’s a party with purpose.
Our mission? Simple: connect, collaborate, and create opportunities between the US and France. Whether you're looking to share ideas, grow your business, hire new talent, mentor newcomers or just meet like-minded people who love the industry as much as you do, FAHGA is your home base.
So if you’re in hospitality or gastronomy or just love being around it, come join the fun. We’re a nonprofit (yep, 501(c)(3)) with a heart for community and a taste for excellence.
Your people are here. Let’s raise a glass together. 🍷
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MEET THE FAHGA TEAM
Founder and communication team
Pierre Bee
Founder
Vanessa Habib
Community Builder
Isabella bracamonte
Marketing
PAULINE MORNET
Marketing
FAHGA Ambassadors
BAY AREA
Frédéric Neema
Cynthia Cohen
Octamedia Productions
Meadowood State
Frederick Boelen
Franck Legrand
La Cave
Wyndham Hotels
Théo François
Degrenne North America
NYC
Dallas
Ryad Hacene
Ophélie Boulanger
Laurence Mittelbronn
Tatiana Larquier
Malou
Business France
Culinary & Luxury Event Specialist
Protelicious
MIAMI
HÉLÉNE FOUCHY
Revol USA
MATHIEU VERLOOVE
LandQuire
Board Members
Isabelle Matter
General Manager,
The Royal Sonesta Clift Hotel
Germain Michel
Owner, Amelie Wine Bar
Roland Passot
Sebastien Espinasse
Owner & Culinary Officer,
Vine Hospitality
President, Fabrique Delices
TESTIMONIALS
FAGHA provided me with moral support for the opening of my restaurant and also facilitated a convivial support to connect with the French presence in San Francisco.
Bruno Chemel
Chef & Owner,
Michelin Two-Stars Restaurant
Le Parc BistroBar San Francisco
Without formality and in a collaborative approach, Fahga offers the opportunity for valuable meetings with other French actors in the Hospitality sector. I appreciated it when I arrived in San Francisco, as it gave me the chance to accelerate my integration and better understand the environment and challenges of the Bay Area.
Stéphane Gras
General Manager,
Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
We met FAHGA during one of their events called L’Apero-Mixer. Although those events are always fun, they allow us to meet people and businesses from the industry. We would never have the chance to meet with FAHGA events. The service industry needs more events and organizations to create solidarity between all the actors in the industry.
Germain Michel
Co-Founder/Owner,
Amélie Wine Bar & Bistro
FAHGA is a great place where both food makers and hospitality managers come together to mingle and create meaningful connections. FAHGA provides a unique opportunity to meet, mingle and share a common passion for food & wine.
Matthieu Kohlmeyer
Founder and CEO,
La Tourangelle
As many will attest, opening a restaurant in San Francisco is a challenging endeavor. However, having FAHGA as an ally has made the process easier and more enjoyable. FAHGA welcomed us during our opening week and offered their unwavering support in promoting us not only to the French community but to the entire city. Within six months, we had the honor of representing the French Consulate at the Annual Europe Day in the Park in October. This event led to numerous inquiries and catering opportunities.
Richard Chagniot
Executive Chef & Owner,
Apres-Vous Catering
FAGHA is a key player in promoting and bringing together wine professionals to our tastings. By supporting Business France’s events, FAGHA serves French companies looking to expand their business in the US.
Manilay Saito
Business Unit Director Wine, Spirits, Beer & Ciders, Agrifood & Agribusiness Divison,
Business France North America
Partnering with FAHGA has significantly boosted our client acquisition efforts at Malou. Their deep insights and amazing network empowered us to connect with clients (restaurants / bars & coffee shop/bakeries) more effectively. They made us direct introductions and we also participated to networking events in San Francisco and New York. FAHGA's support has been invaluable to our growth, and we look forward to continued success together.
Ryad Hacene
CEO, Malou
Over the past few years, the Hospitality Management program at the University of San Francisco has had the pleasure of partnering with the FAHGA (L’Apero) to host events celebrating the art of Gastronomy. Each event has been a remarkable experience for our students, guests, and hospitality professionals alike. The collaboration with FAHGA (L’Apero) has provided invaluable hands-on opportunities for our students to engage with real-world event management, while also showcasing the very best in culinary excellence.
Jean-Marc Fullsack
Executive Chef Instructor,
University of San Francisco