Frank Schmitz is confident his new French restaurant, opening on Thursday, will soon be the site of a celebration.

About two weeks after opening, owners of the Reid Street bistro, which will serve French cuisine in a bistro-style environment, hope to be toasting with the first Beaujolais Nouveau in Bermuda.

"We're looking forward to the Beaujolais Nouveau arrival race,'' he said.

Each year, wine aficianados all over the world await the latest edition of Beaujolais Nouveau. After the wine is released on the third Thursday in November, the big race has competitors transport the wine from the southeast Beaujolais district of France to England.

Bermuda restaurateurs vie to be the first to announce the wine's arrival here.

In 1995, Mr. Schmitz, as general manager of Chancery Wine Bar, brought the first Beaujolais Nouveau to Bermuda. And as general manager of M.R. Onions, he won the race in the two previous years.

Mr. Schmitz, who has been in the restaurant business for 15 years, has also worked for Gourmet International, which owns the Hog Penny and Fisherman's Reef restaurants and was involved with the setting up of Loquats, now Tuscany Restaurant. For the past five years, he has also worked for Gateway Systems selling point of sale equipment for the restaurant business.

Le Figaro is located in the former Archimedes Greek restaurant site.

Mr. Schmitz, who owns the new business with his wife Pauline Demetria Schmitz, incorporated a limited liability company Figaro Ltd.

To prepare the cuisine, Mr. Schmitz has brought in French chefs Rene Maludy and Terry Gerad. Both have worked in French bistros and are recent arrivals to the Island. French chef Paul Declus completes the trio.

On the future of the business, Mr. Schmitz said he has the years of experience needed to own and run a restaurant.

"The successful owners have trained for many years.'' Many restaurants fail because the owners do not have the expertise that comes from starting from the bottom and working you're way up, he said.

"In the hospitality trade, you can open a restaurant with no experience'' but that ends up being the downfall of many, he said.