You are having a leisurely meal at Porto Cupecoy's Rendez-Vous Lounge, overlooking the central plaza and the elegant yachts birthed in the marina. After you sampled some of the food - and assuming that you have a reasonably fine palate - you will be impressed.

And might wonder how a casual restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner is able to offer this kind of refined gastronomic experience.

Meet proprietor Nathalie Schoenher! The RD-Lounge is her concept, she turned it into the great success it is and operates now one of the most popular restaurants on the island's Western coast.

Nathalie's affinity for the finer aspects of food and service are no surprise; as food and beverage manager of St-Martin's previous flagship resort La Samanna and later on as manager of the La Samanna Villas, she is accustomed to operating in a 5-star environment. Many island residents and repeat visitors remember her in these positions. Before she arrived on the island in 1995, she has been in a managing position in Chefs de France at Disney Paris.

There is a surprising bridge Nathalie represents to some of the all time greats of French cuisine. Much of her professional experience in the culinary field has been shaped in the presence of giants like Paul Bocuse (1926 - 2018) and pastry chef Gaston Lenôtre (1920 - 2009) while working at Chefs de France.

Nowadays, Nathalie enjoys the fruits of her career by witnessing how guests from all walks of life relax at the RD-Lounge. Be it a student from the island's medical university, connecting through the free Wifi and consuming just a pastry, or guests from the posh Terres Basses villas, who love to experience the well prepared French and Italian dishes in an environment free of all pretensions.