Following an initial phase of work on Restaurant 1 (R1) carried out between December 2021 and March this year, work will resume on 26 November and is scheduled to be complete by 17 March 2023. With a total budget of 1.3 MCHF, the renovations involve major works behind the scenes in the kitchen, preparation and washing areas, as well as in the basement storage areas, to align them with current best practice. More energy-efficient equipment will be installed. The free-flow and Grab ’n’ Go areas will also be refreshed with a new look and feel to welcome customers in March.

Aesthetic improvements, designed by the SCE department, will provide clearer information about what’s on offer and improve the flow of people through the restaurant. These include new signage, along with a redesigned entrance and coffee areas. The tray collection, microwave and water fountain areas will also be refurbished, while ventilation and insulation will be optimised.

To ensure continuity of service, the SCE department has been working with the contractor, Novae, to ensure that a broad and attractive range of options will be available throughout the period. R1 will continue to operate at close-to-normal capacity, with the exception of the Glassbox, which will be moved to Restaurant 2, where equivalent table-service capacity will be available in the Brasserie area. A tent will also be set up to compensate for R1 seating space that will be unavailable during the refurbishment.

Throughout the works, food will be prepared for R1 in R2 and distributed from a temporary servery. The current free-flow area, coffee area and Grab ’n’ Go will be temporarily moved. The full range of services of the Grab ’n’ Go will be available in the former post office in Building 500, and the range of food on offer in the cafeterias will be extended to provide more choice across the site.

Full details of the temporary installations will be communicated regularly, starting in November. Signage will also be in place throughout the duration of the works.

Restaurant 1 has been an important hub for CERN since the very early days of the Organization. These works will equip it to play its essential role of nourishing the CERN community, body and mind, for the decades to come.