Maman owners Elisa Marshall and Ben Sormonte grew up loving their family kitchens. Both had happy memories of their mothers preparing family specialties, so it was no surprise that when Marshall, who was raised in Toronto, Canada, and Sormonte, who was raised in Montpellier, France, met at a Montreal bar in 2011, they fell in love and soon began building a life rooted in food and hospitality.
Sormonte, a former college basketball star, became a corporate lawyer when he wasn’t called up to the NBA. Marshall worked in fashion marketing, interior design, and wedding planning. They clicked immediately. “We had so much to talk about and became inseparable after that,” Marshall says of her husband. “We both loved food and had a real passion for hospitality. It was part of our culture.”
Soon after, they had the opportunity to open a restaurant on the beach in Spain through contacts of Sormonte’s at The Experimental Group, an international hospitality company based in Paris. (Growing up, Sormonte spent 10 summers working at a beach restaurant in the south of France, where he met many industry friends.) Within the first six months of operating Experimental Beach Ibiza, the couple knew they had found their calling. “Living on the island of Ibiza, we really learned the restaurant business and even produced 60 weddings the first season, which ran from April to September,” says Marshall.
During the off-season, the couple headed to New York’s SoHo with the same restaurant group and opened the wine bar La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels. For several years, they lived between Spain and New York, but they grew weary of late nights. “I was doing events and marketing, and Ben ran operations,” says Marshall. “But we got sick of the nightlife scene. We wanted more for ourselves.”
They spoke to their SoHo landlord, who owned the block where the wine bar was located. He showed them another space nearby with great bones, an impressive ceiling, and undeniable charm. They signed a lease with plans to open a café called Maman, French for “mother.”
The couple envisioned a coffee shop that felt warm and beautiful—a place where customers could enjoy a home-baked cookie or gather with friends for a lively brunch. Like many New Yorkers, they worked from cafés and realized nothing in the city evoked the comfort of their own childhood homes. Much of New York’s coffee culture felt too cold and industrial, far from the inviting atmosphere they longed to create.
“Both Ben and I like bringing people around the table and giving them the vibe of warmth and home,” says Marshall. “We wanted to draw from our childhood memories, dishes, and cookies. My dad was an antiques dealer, which influenced our decision to decorate with vintage furnishings.”
In 2014, they opened Maman in SoHo. They wanted Maman to be a “home away from home,” with vintage decor inspired by the south of France, spanning French antiques, pots, plates, and whimsical floral installations.
The concept proved so popular that they expanded throughout New York, and then to New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Canada. In 2021, wanting to share their recipes and lifestyle, the couple published Maman: The Cookbook—All-Day Recipes to Warm Your Heart.
Miami beckoned, as it does, and in 2023 they opened their first Maman in Wynwood. Marshall grew up vacationing in Naples with her family, so Florida felt familiar. “Post-COVID, so many people moved to Miami that we started looking at the market and discovered the area lacked what we offered with Maman. We had no fear of competition.” Indeed, they were so successful that they now have 11 South Florida locations, including Miami Beach, Aventura, and West Palm Beach, with Boca Raton and Delray Beach coming soon.
Globally, Maman has grown to 52 storefronts, all privately owned and operated by Sormonte, the company’s chief executive officer, and Marshall, its chief brand officer. Last year, as part of the brand’s continued momentum, Maman collaborated with lifestyle doyenne Martha Stewart to offer seasonal menus, a partnership that extends through June. “It’s a dream come true to partner with Martha Stewart,” says Marshall. “I grew up idolizing her, watching her show with my mom, and sharing her belief in making everyday moments beautiful.”
This philosophy extends to their own home in Pinecrest. When Marshall and Sormonte recently hosted a small French breakfast in their new house, they were eager to treat family and friends to a delicious spread. Their two children—Yves, 6, and Reve (French for “dream”), 3—were there, along with Maman staffers. Their 7-year-old rescue mutt, Crumpet (named after the food the couple made on their second date), trotted happily around the pool.
“Before a party, I feel fine as long as I’m prepared with food and drinks, and also get myself ready first,” says Marshall, whose barefoot-chic look included a long, white, embroidered lace dress from Sea NY. “We entertain at home at least once a week. Sometimes we host after school with other parents and kids. And on weekends we like to barbecue for 25 people. We enjoy both indoor and garden gatherings.”
For Sormonte, parties of any kind or size are rooted in warmth and hospitality, whether they unfold inside the house or outdoors in the garden. “Like with the restaurants, entertaining is more than the investment,” says Sormonte, who wore a white Massimo Dutti shirt and beige Zara slacks. “I love sharing my passion with others. It gives me joy to see people happy.”
Their home features soaring ceilings complemented by branches, florals, and organic materials that embrace a more grounded, tropical aesthetic while avoiding coastal clichés. Alongside the vintage market finds, the couple added playful pieces for the kids and commissioned artistic touches like limewash murals and lace-embedded plaster finishes.
Paired with natural woods, the space feels magical—elevated yet laid-back. Vintage furnishings include assorted mirrors from a French market, a coffee table from a flea market, a sofa from La Maison Pernoise in France, and armchairs from RH adorned with custom-painted florals by their close friend Nancy Farnum.
“Since day one, Ben and I have been sourcing and designing Maman locations, and we did the same thing with our new house,” says Marshall. “We even swap furniture between our home and the cafés when we need a refresher.”
One of their favorite elements is the Florida fireplace installation, a sustainable ode to nature crafted from upcycled branches gathered from a neighbor’s landscaping scraps. With floral installations by Floratorium throughout, the space invites a sense of wonder and connection to the natural world.
Breakfast was served on a vintage farmhouse wood dining table with white Wayfair chairs beneath a suspended floral trellis. Silk flowers are swapped seasonally and mixed with natural branches. For this event, the arrangement featured ivy, wisteria, and moss.
The tablescape paid tribute to Maman with vintage blue-and-white French toile plates, pewter chargers, La Rochere Bee tumblers, and vintage flatware. “We don’t go all out for the tablescape because we want the food to be the focus,” says Marshall.
They served assorted pastries—including Maman croissants and chouquettes (puff pastry with caramelized sugar)—on tiered stands; mini pancake stacks on wood boards; fruit on an antique silver platter; Greek yogurt parfaits with almond-butter granola and seasonal berry compote in etched wine glasses; and Maman’s famous Quiche Sophie with spinach, feta, and artichoke, showcased on a glass cake stand. There was also avocado toast on sourdough, made with tomatoes, cilantro, onion, and lemon, finished with pumpkin sesame sea salt and chili flakes, and presented on wood boards. Drinks included coffee with a variety of milk options, Champagne served in vintage coupe glasses, and water poured from a cut-crystal pitcher.
Guests savored every second of the atmospheric breakfast, the morning light and lively table setting creating a moment that felt unmistakably Maman. The hosts were gracious and thrilled with the gathering’s success. “I love entertaining at home and bringing people around the table family-style to celebrate life,” says Marshall. “I also love cooking, setting the table, and trying new things. I like the formality of it all—just never stodgy.”
Facebook Comments