Xavier Landais: Our Beverage Director Extraordinaire
Xavier Landais hails from Angers in the Loire region of France. His interest in hospitality was ignited purely and simply by living in the heart of the Loire Valley and his exposure to the wine makers of the region. Deciding upon a career in hospitality, he went to catering college after finishing school. While studying, he took his first job as a waiter at a popular local brasserie in Angers. Over the next 2 years he took various jobs in Angers, working his way up the ladder and broadening his knowledge.
In 1999, to broaden his horizons, Xavier left for London and immediately took a job at FISH!, where he worked as a waiter, then Bank restaurant in Aldwich . In 2001, he moved to J Sheekey, whose reputation for sourcing unusual and eclectic vintages and producers was heralded. He rapidly climbed the ranks from bartender to Assistant Bar Manager.
In 2003, his homeland beckoned, and he took up the position of General Manager at the Brasserie du Theatre in Angers. After a year, he found he missed the exhilaration of London too much and the burgeoning bar scene there, so he returned to J Sheekey and, in 2009, was promoted to Executive Bar Manager for Caprice Holdings and the Birley Group (Annabel’s Clubs), a position that was created especially to meet the growing demands of the market place. Under his remit were 16 bars. This role has been the making of Xavier, where his knowledge of product and the bar culture in London and further afield have had to be ahead of the curve at all times. His training programmes were followed voraciously by the bar teams across both groups and he has initiated a bi-monthly cocktail competition to keep everyone’s creativity well-oiled and up-to-the-minute. Xavier was promoted to Director of Bars in 2016, and subsequently Director of Beverage in 2023 for Caprice Holdings globally.
He is also responsible for new bar projects within the group and has overseen 16 new openings, including international ones in New York, Miami and Dubai. Under his supervision, Caprice bars won numerous awards, including international best restaurant bar 2022 at Tales of the cocktails, and 2 pins with the pinnacle guide 2024.
Sexy Fish Dubai will be a showcase of Xavier's signature style, blending classic elegance with modern flair, and offering a unique and unforgettable experience for our guests, if you wish to be part of Xavier's team get in touch now!