In 1990 he set sail for New York and ignited his stateside career with lightning speed, becoming Sous Chef at the internationally respected Le Bernardin and later as Chef de Cuisine at Park Bistro. In 1994 he became Executive Chef at the ever-popular New York brasserie La Goulue and then Executive Chef at Orsay, which took the New York restaurant scene by storm in 2000 and is consistently rated as one of the best and most popular restaurants in New York City.Chef Philippe Schmit served as Executive Chef and Partner at bistro moderne in Houston, where he was hailed as one of the city's most innovative and talented chefs since his arrival in 2004. Philippe spent two and a half years planning for Philippe Restaurant + Lounge and assembled an unparalleled team of creative professionals to help realize his vision.
Philippe called on Lauren Rottet, one of the most celebrated designers in architecture today, and they joined forces to create a captivating dichotomy in the design of his exciting new venture: casual, yet chic, comfortable, yet contemporary, French, yet cowboy. The design team also included top-tier, Houston-based architect Shafik Rifaat, who has provided architectural, design and construction management services nationally and internationally for over 35 years in projects such as Houston's Tony's Restaurant, River Oaks Shopping Center and The Grotto restaurant.
