Kin

Kin, Chef-Driven Cooking Between France and Africa in Central Marseille

Kin is a fine-dining restaurant at 10 rue Francis Davso in Marseille’s 1st arrondissement. Chef Hugues Mbenda and his partner, Mathilde Godart, opened it in February 2023. The restaurant’s name is short for Kinshasa, the city where the chef was born and grew up.

The cuisine is described as a chef-driven expression that bridges French gastronomy and influences from across the African continent. Mbenda works with local, seasonal French and Mediterranean products, combining them with African ingredients. The menu is presented as an invitation to travel, brought to the heart of Marseille, where the chef has lived for nearly seven years.

Chef Hugues Mbenda and His Career

Hugues Mbenda was born in 1989 in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His interest in cooking began in childhood alongside his mother, Jeanne, who ran a small street-side restaurant. He began his professional training at Lycée Escoffier, where he earned a vocational high school diploma in 2009.

During his career, he has worked at restaurants in France and the United Kingdom. In Paris, he worked at Taillevent, Apicius, Burgundy, and Le Violon d’Ingres; in Bordeaux, at Les Sources de Caudalie; and in London, at Pearl restaurant in the Renaissance Hotel. In 2015, he took his first position as sous-chef at Le Violon d’Ingres, working with Christian Constant. He later joined the team at Hotel Westminster, as sous-chef at Le Céladon, which then held a Michelin star. In January 2018, he became chef at Le Céladon in Hotel Westminster.

In Marseille, he launched his first restaurant, l’Orphéon, with his brother Eric between 2019 and 2020. In October 2021, he and Mathilde Godart founded and opened Libala, a lunchtime street-food spot combining local and exotic products and offering a line of juices created by the chef. In February 2023, the two opened Kin.

Residencies and Sharing His Cooking

The chef shares his creative process through residencies. These include Villa Albertine in Atlanta in 2024 and a residency in Salvador, Brazil, with Les Cuisines Africaines in 2025.

Restaurant Services

The restaurant offers table reservations and a menu. It also accommodates events and sells gift cards. Guests can contact the restaurant by email, phone, or through a contact form.

Location and Contact

10 rue Francis Davso, 13001 Marseille · Phone: 04 91 06 44 02 · Email: kinrestaurantmarseille@gmail.com