The Entrepreneurs – Chez Carrie: How an American Beat French Bureaucracy to Open a Chic Paris Bistro

Podcast: The Entrepreneurs
Host: Tom Edwards (Monocle)
Episode Date: February 25, 2026
Guests: Carrie Solomon (Chef-owner, Chez Carrie), David Benedek (Founder, BDK Parfums)
Episode Focus: Resilience and innovation in two of France’s revered sectors—food and fragrance—through the stories of an American bistro founder and a Parisian perfumer.

Episode Overview

This episode spotlights pioneers in two iconic French industries: food and perfume. The main feature is an in-depth conversation with American chef Carrie Solomon, who recounts her journey from Michigan to the heart of Paris, where she overcame personal tragedy and daunting French bureaucracy to open her own bistro, Chez Carrie. The second segment (from 18:10) highlights David Benedek, founder of BDK Parfums, exploring creativity, heritage, and expansion in luxury fragrance.

Segment 1: Carrie Solomon – Opening Chez Carrie (00:32–17:21)

Background and Early Journey (02:42–04:37)

• Carrie’s culinary roots:
  Carrie shares that her food journey began at 14, working weekends and holidays at a local restaurant in Michigan, thanks to a friend whose mother was a pastry chef.

  “From the age of 14, I was always working in restaurants... So by the time I came to Paris, I thought, I’ll do something different.” (02:42–03:10)

• Initial Paris ambitions:
  Arrived in Paris to study photography, not food, but the culinary pull was too strong. Recipe writing and working in kitchens became her way into the rigid French food scene.

Professional Development and Entrepreneurship (04:45–06:36)

• Cookbooks and consulting:
  Carrie wrote and photographed recipes for Elle and published about 10 cookbooks. She also consulted for restaurants, events like Roland Garros, and the Olympics.
• First bistro ambitions:
  Motherhood sparked self-reflection about her future; serendipitous restaurant residencies revealed her readiness for ownership.

Resilience Through Tragedy (06:36–08:35)

• Personal loss as catalyst:
  Following the sudden death of her husband, Carrie turned to cooking as a way to heal.

  “The thing that ended up saving me and pulling me off the couch and out of bed was getting back in the kitchen.” (06:44)

• Finding purpose:
  A helpful mentor encouraged her to “just go for it” and begin searching for her own place, leading her to the site that would become Chez Carrie.

Navigating French Bureaucracy as an Expat (10:21–12:22)

• Institutional barriers:
  Carrie describes the skepticism of banks and brokers toward non-French nationals, and how American politics even factored into risk assessments.

  “She kind of said to me... ‘With the way things are looking with, like, Trump and taxes, like an American in France, that’s going to be really hard to get a loan.’” (11:03)

• Determination and solutions:
  Persistence, experience, and her dual role as chef-owner ultimately helped secure a loan.

  “One thing that I was told that really helped my dossier was the fact that... I was going to be the owner, but I was also going to be the chef. To be, you know, that committed to a project.” (11:37)

Chez Carrie’s Vision and Vibe (12:54–15:06)

• Food philosophy:
  The menu: “very vegetable focused, but really... generous and comforting. Really, really bright. Kind of big flavors... And crunch and, like, acidity and spice that I feel we do well in the US. But I didn’t want it to read as vegetarian.” (13:08)
• Design and community:
  Maintained original Parisian tiling and beams; added a long, welcoming bar.

  “I had a friend, an architect friend who... put together this dream that I had that feels like a French bistro.” (14:20)

• Bureaucratic headaches:
  Permits and licenses were especially taxing: “When you buy a restaurant, you start at zero. And so you have to get, you know, new authorizations for almost everything.” (14:00–14:30)

Looking Ahead – Events and Growth (15:20–17:21)

• Community focus:
  Carrie aims for Chez Carrie to be a platform for collaboration, especially with women chefs and cookbook authors:

  “I knew... I wanted it to be a place for others... different women to, yeah, to sign their books, to do demonstrations.” (15:20)

• Year-round programming:
  Calendar of pop-ups: wine class, fermentation demo, sourdough pizza nights, and more to carry through to spring.
• Seasonal anticipation:
  Anticipating the terrace’s opening—"a beautiful terrace on a street that’s piéton... I’m really looking forward to spring and to, you know, some new offerings.” (16:35)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On healing through food:

  “The thing that ended up saving me... was getting back in the kitchen.” —Carrie (06:44)

• On unexpected opportunities:

  “From the first moment that I went in... I was like, wait, this isn’t supposed to happen yet. I’m not ready. I don’t think anyone’s ever ready to open a restaurant, no matter how much you prepare.” —Carrie (09:30)

• On French bureaucracy:

  “There were banks that I was told, like, don’t even think about approaching them.” —Carrie (11:10)

• On her food philosophy:

  “I wanted a menu that was very vegetable focused, but... I didn’t want it to read as vegetarian.” (13:08)

Segment 2: David Benedek – BDK Parfums: Creativity, Heritage & Craft (18:10–29:04)

New Launches and Artistic Process (18:11–19:59)

• Release of Velvet Tonka Extrait:
  Evolving an existing scent with layers like pistachio, leather, and gourmand notes.
• Creative partners:
  Ongoing collaboration with perfumer Alexandra Carlin:

  “She became my friend first... It’s super creative, and at the same time, it’s very wearable, which I love.” (18:54)

Heritage and Family (20:01–22:57)

• Team growth:
  From solo founder to a group of 30 in a decade.

  “My team is like my family, so I’m very happy.” (20:01)

• Family immigration story:
  Grandparents from Transylvania opened a Paris perfumery, serving American tourists; parents continued the tradition.

Memories into Scent (20:57–21:50)

• Translating childhood afternoons into fragrance:

  “It comes very naturally... You interiorize it to your own body, your own soul. And then... you just imagine a scent through memories.” (20:57)

Craft, Design, and French Artistry (23:16–25:10)

• Bottle inspiration:
  Design modeled after Paris's Grand Palais roof for a message of creativity.
• Made in France:
  Proximity to independent, family-run suppliers key for quality and connection:

  “I wanted to have a very strong connection and relationship with all my supplier... they could be in France so I could visit them.” (24:27)

Future Goals and Expansion (25:25–28:44)

• International outlook:
  Balancing company-owned boutiques with department store partnerships. Expanding particularly in the Middle East, where perfume culture is strong.
• Standing out:

  “Maybe you stand out by your authenticity... We try to be very creative... I try to launch something that never existed before. And I hope that we stand out by our uniqueness and creative independence.” (28:08)

Notable Quotes

• On artist collaboration:

  “This is our Moroccan heritage that is symbolized in this column.” (26:40)

• On brand direction:

  “I hope that BDK Parfum will remain this beautiful house coming from Paris. That it will grow, but in a very natural way...” (28:50)

Timestamps – Important Segments

• 00:32 – Introduction to episode themes
• 02:42 – Carrie’s origin story in the restaurant trade
• 06:36 – Personal loss and returning to the kitchen
• 10:21 – Bureaucratic challenges as a foreign restaurateur
• 13:08 – The menu and vision for Chez Carrie
• 15:20 – Community, special events, and future plans
• 18:11 – Introduction of David Benedek and BDK Parfums
• 20:01 – Growing the BDK team and the importance of family
• 23:16 – Perfume bottle and design inspiration
• 25:25 – Expansion plans and international outlook
• 28:08 – Uniqueness and creative independence in perfume

Tone and Takeaways

The episode is candid and optimistic. Carrie reflects with warmth and emotional honesty about loss, resilience, and chasing a dream in the face of administrative obstacles. The advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is clear: persistence, community connections, and authenticity in your vision matter as much as business acumen in tradition-bound industries.

The interview with David Benedek is thoughtful and evocative, emphasizing the intersection of personal heritage and creative independence, both in fragrance formulation and in business operations.

Quick Links

• Chez Carrie: sheikharry.com
• BDK Parfums: bdkparfum.com

This episode is essential listening for anyone fascinated by what it takes to launch something novel in storied industries—and how identity, heritage, and hustle shape the modern face of entrepreneurship in Paris.