George Clooney is adding another title to his already impressive résumé, this time far from a movie set. The actor is preparing to open an Italian restaurant in Cotignac, a picturesque village in southern France near the home he shares with his wife, Amal Clooney, and their twins.
The Daily Mail reported on Wednesday, October 7 that Clooney, 65, is teaming up with Canadian hotelier Graham Porter, who owns the nearby Lou Calen hotel, for the new venture.
The restaurant is expected to open next spring at the former Les 3 Marches site at 11 Cours Gambetta.
The project comes only months after George and Amal, 48, became French citizens with their children, Ella and Alexander.
What Is George Clooney’s New Restaurant?
Renovations are already underway at the site, though several major details remain under wraps.
The restaurant’s name, chef and menu have not yet been announced.
Local reports from France confirmed that Cotignac Mayor Jean-Pierre Véran confirmed George’s involvement in the project. The actor’s name does not yet appear on municipal paperwork tied to the restaurant, with the development reportedly being handled through Lou Calen.
The location is about 20 kilometers from Domaine du Canadel, the wine estate near Brignoles that George and Amal bought in 2021.
Why Did George Clooney Make France His Family Base?
George has been open about why the family has embraced a quieter life in France.
“We live on a farm in France. A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid I hated the whole idea of it,” he told Esquire last year.
“But now, for them, it’s like – they’re not on their iPads, you know? They have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in. They have a much better life.”
George also said he worried about raising his children in Los Angeles.
“I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood. I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France – they kind of don’t give a [Expletive] about fame…”
“I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids.”
Why an Italian Restaurant Makes Sense for George Clooney
The project also brings together two places that have played major roles in George’s life.
He has owned Villa Oleandra on Lake Como since 2002 and has often spoken about his love of Italian food, according to Hello Magazine.
George has even joked that he handles much of the cooking at home. “My wife makes reservations for dinner… so I do a lot of the cooking in the family,” he said in 2020, as reported by The Daily Mail.
Years earlier, he also said, “I’m a pretty decent chef myself. I make a nice pasta because I spend time in Italy.”
Food even figured into his proposal to Amal in 2014, when he cooked what he later described as “pasta of some form” before proposing at home.
George Clooney Is Keeping More of His Work Close to Home
George’s latest move also fits with a broader shift in how he approaches work. At the Venice Film Festival last month, the “Ocean’s Eleven” star said family life now affects the projects he takes on.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, he explained that acting can take him away for about three months, while directing a film can consume as much as a year.
With Ella and Alexander now 9 and settled into school, George said he no longer wants to move them around for lengthy productions.
His new restaurant gives him a creative project much closer to home, blending his love of Italy with the quieter French life he and Amal have chosen for their family.
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George Clooney Launches Surprising New Career Move in France