French chef opens first solo venture in Belfast at heart of Cathedral Quarter

A chef who has made Northern Ireland her home is treating the Cathedral Quarter to a taste of France with her new bistro venture.

Marion Lancial has been living and working in Belfast for the past three years since her husband's job brought them to the city.

Having worked as a tutor at Waterman House Cookery School, Marion has now branched out on her own to open a mini French Bistro at the neighbouring spot The Dark Horse on Commercial Court.

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Le Cheval Noir, The Dark Horse in French, is currently open on Thursdays and Fridays inside the city centre licenced cafe and hopes to bring a new buzz to the area in the run-up to the weekends.

Speaking to Belfast Live, Marion said that she has fallen in love with the city since relocating and that the lively Cathedral Quarter area feels like 'home' and the perfect place to serve her authentic French cuisine.

Marion said: "I arrived in Northern Ireland three years and was the pastry chef for the Waterman for those three years and also taught in the cookery school as well.

"I finished working there in August when Willie Jack [owner of The Duke of York] approached me and asked if I would like to come and work with him.

"We just sat down and talked about what we wanted and he said he would love to have a French bistro style inside The Dark Horse - very small menu, very fresh every day, seasonal and we change every week or every month."

First opening in September, Marion has loved being able to serve the food she loves from home to new customers who may be only getting to try them for the first time.

Having lived and worked in Washington DC for five years before making the move to NI in 2021, she has found a real community in the Cathedral Quarter and adores Belfast - even despite the weather.

"It is absolutely amazing - I think that people here, and especially coming from France, are so friendly. They are helpful and not grumpy all the time so that's a nice change.

"The Cathedral Quarter really feels like a home to me because I've been working here for three years and it's always so festive and it's a very safe city also," she explained.

"So many things are happening in Belfast and the food industry is just blooming everywhere - it almost feels like a sort of pressure because you want to be up to the game but it's a lovely experience so far."

Marion likes to keep things fresh and exciting by regularly switching up the menu at Le Cheval Noir but customers can expect mouth-watering Croque Monsieur sandwiches, classic French Onion Soup and even some of her specialty pastries.

She continued: "It's just such a nice place to sit and have a nice pint of Guinness and a nice warm dish - it's very fast and it's not expensive.

"A space for the people around us, like the workers, to have a French-style break for lunch. Sit, have a drink, have a nice meal, and then you can go back to work without losing too much time.

"It's an amazing feeling to bring my food to Belfast. Even though I'm a pastry chef, I know French cuisine and my grandmother used to have a hotel restaurant in Normandy, so I grew up in her kitchen and it's just so familiar to me.

"I know what I'm doing and so far people are happy so that's good. It's such an honour to be able to serve the dishes I grew up with - it's fantastic."

Le Cheval Noir opens in The Dark Horse Belfast on Thursday and Friday afternoons throughout November.

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