Louise Katz and Nathanaël Simon are the co-founders of the restaurant magazine *La Grenouille à Grande Bouche*, which ceased publication in 2022, and the live news outlet *Les 3 Ours*. Both are guests on the third season of Chemins, the Médianes podcast.
In this episode of the third season of our podcast *Chemins*, we’re joined by Louise Katz and Nathanaël Simon. Both are co-founders of *La Grenouille à Grande Bouche*, a hybrid project combining a culinary magazine and a participatory restaurant. Launched in 2019, the project did not survive the pandemic and came to an end in 2022. Yet, nearly a year later, the journalists are back with Les 3 Ours, a live news outlet co-founded with Julie Lallouët-Geffroy. In this episode of *Chemins*, Louise Katz and Nathanaël Simon share their experience: how to bounce back after a setback, maintain a sense of community, and reinvent themselves through new hybrid models.
The Launch of *La Grenouille à Grande Bouche*: A Culinary and Publishing Adventure
In 2019, Louise Katz and Nathanaël Simon, along with Fanny Amand, launched *La Grenouille à Grande Bouche*. This hybrid project consisted of a participatory restaurant and a culinary magazine that explored gastronomy from a social and cultural perspective.
“At first, *La Grenouille à Grande Bouche* wasn’t supposed to be a magazine. The original project centered on the relationship between writing and food. But the idea of a magazine emerged as a way to let people participate in a different way—just as they already did at the restaurant.” – Louise Katz
The magazine was collaborative: “Some of the columns were written with volunteers. We had a collaborative interview segment where anyone could help ask questions. It was very collaborative.” — Nathanaël Simon
A project disrupted by the pandemic
The restaurant opens its doors in January 2020, a few weeks before the start of the pandemic. Lockdowns, curfews, and remote work quickly disrupt operations. In March 2022, the project comes to a halt.
“We experienced the end as a time of mourning. Someone who helps companies through closures told me, ‘Get ready to go through all the stages of grief.’ And it’s true. We went through anger, sadness, and acceptance.” – Nathanaël Simon
“It was really overwhelming. Between COVID, a death in the family, taking care of a young daughter, and the company in crisis, it was just too much. The shutdown was also a relief.” – Louise Katz
A fragile business model
La Grenouille à Grande Bouche operated on a model in which the restaurant provided a steady stream of revenue to fund the magazine, which generated a more irregular cash flow. This system proved to have its limitations in the face of external uncertainties.
“We knew nothing about the publishing industry. We were journalists, but we had no idea how to distribute a magazine. At first, we called every bookstore ourselves, one by one, with a certain naivety, convinced that we’d be welcomed with open arms right away. When the difficulties piled up, we felt like we were constantly running after a train that had already sped off.” – Nathanaël Simon
“We were incredibly naive. We thought: if the product is great, people will come. But selling 4,000 copies of a magazine is a huge accomplishment. We realized this far too late.” – Louise Katz
Managing emotions through an abrupt ending
The end of *La Grenouille à Grande Bouche* was marked by a series of intense administrative and emotional milestones, all experienced within a very short period of time.
“We got our first warning sign in January 2022: we weren’t sure we’d be able to pay the next month’s salaries. From there, everything happened very quickly. On February 10, we filed for insolvency, and on February 23, we were in commercial court. (…) It’s brutal. Once the decision is made, things move very quickly. By April, it was all over: the premises had been cleared out, and the equipment sold at auction. That’s when I really felt the full brunt of what we’d just been through.”—Nathanaël Simon
The end of the project required careful management of employees, volunteers, members, and readers.
“It was hard to announce the end. We started by preparing the teams: ‘The situation is complicated; we’re looking for solutions, but there might not be any.’ Then we had to call every freelancer and every contractor to explain why they wouldn’t be paid. It’s like a death: there are announcements to make, paperwork to fill out, and difficult calls to make. (…) We did everything we could to find new placements for our work-study students, including calling other companies and media outlets. The idea was to make sure no one was left behind”—Louise Katz
“We chose to take full responsibility. We announced our closure and gave interviews to explain why it was over. We sent a special newsletter to our subscribers. It was difficult, but people understood. Some vendors were angry, but many were supportive. ” – Nathanaël Simon
A New Beginning with Les 3 Ours
In 2023, Louise Katz and Nathanaël Simon, joined by Julie Lallouët-Geffroy, launched Les 3 Ours. The project presents journalistic performances, known as “presstacles.” (Editor’s note: The team has since adopted the name “journal intime”) in Brittany. These performances combine theatrical staging with journalistic storytelling to offer a dynamic format for delivering news.
“This time, we’re taking our time. We’re starting from scratch. We’re testing things out, reflecting, and learning how the performing arts world works. For example, we’re discovering that we need a fire safety plan, a stage manager… It’s new to us, but we’re surrounding ourselves with the right people.” – Nathanaël Simon
Their first show, presented on January 24, 2025, will be followed by three to four performances through June.
“We didn’t rush into it. First, we studied the business of live performance and learned the basics: ticketing, programming, lighting. It’s a completely different way of thinking compared to publishing. We want every step to be done right. We improvise much less. We don’t work with people who are just learning the ropes, because we know we can’t all be beginners at the same time.” – Louise Katz
The importance of your surroundings
In difficult times, Louise and Nathanaël became aware of the importance of relying on their network and those around them, whether to overcome crises or to rebuild after a setback.
“When we announced the end of La Grenouille, we received an outpouring of support. François-Régis Gaudry, our mentor, called me two seconds after I sent my email to ask, ‘Are you okay? What can I do for you?’ He even took on one of our work-study students onto his team afterward. Gestures like that keep you going, even in the worst of times.” – Nathanaël Simon
“Our team and our friends were also incredible. After we closed, they threw a farewell party. They had painted an entire wall with the covers of our magazines. We didn’t go through this alone, and that was deeply comforting. ” – Louise Katz
"Chemins" is a podcast produced by Médianes. Season 3 is hosted by Marine Slavitch and produced by Morgan Prudhomme. The sound design is by Nicolas Peiron, and the visual design is by Christelle Perrin.
