Behind a modest red awning on Rue de Richelieu, a Parisian restaurant named Davé became the most exclusive and infamous celebrity haunt of the 1980s and 1990s. While the city's fine-dining scene chased Michelin stars, Davé offered something far more intoxicating: a velvet-draped, rule-free sanctuary where the global elite could party away from the paparazzi.
The Enigmatic Host and His 'No Rules' Philosophy
Opened in 1982 by the enigmatic Tai Cheung—known simply as Davé—the restaurant operated on a unique principle. "No rules, no menus, no set prices, just recommendations," was its mantra. The door was perpetually marked 'COMPLET' (full), whether it was or not, cultivating an air of impenetrable exclusivity.
Cheung, a first-generation immigrant inspired by his father's work ethic, was far more than a maître d'. He acted as therapist, photographer, bouncer, and diplomat for his stellar clientele. "From my father I learnt to just be warm to people," he told the Daily Mail. His deep understanding of his guests' whims and rivalries allowed him to orchestrate the room, strategically placing editors by the door and shielding mega-stars like a shy Leonardo DiCaprio behind a glowing tropical fish tank.
A-List Chaos and Feline Royalty
The list of regulars read like a global who's who: Madonna, Tina Turner, Kate Moss, Cameron Diaz, Francis Ford Coppola, Naomi Campbell, Tom Ford, and Melania Trump all graced its cramped tables. The red quilted walls became a shrine of Polaroid snapshots, taken by Cheung himself.
Inevitably, drama unfolded. Cheung recalls Yves Saint Laurent storming out after an argument with Paloma Picasso. He catered to every whim, even when movie producer Jean-Pierre Rassam arrived with his own cook and dinner to avoid wasting food. "I played along," Cheung said.
Ruling this roost was Cheung's feline accomplice, Momo. "The place belonged to the cat," Cheung quipped, noting Momo had a particular fondness for women wearing stockings. The cat's image even features on the cover of the new memoir, 'A Night At Davé'.
The Polaroid Legacy and Final Curtain
Inspired by Andy Warhol, Cheung began documenting the revelry with a Polaroid camera from the restaurant's opening. "The immediacy fascinated me," he said. His iconic, spontaneous shot of Madonna with a rose between her lips epitomised the era's carefree spirit.
The book, a painstakingly edited collection of these images and memories, offers a final glimpse into this lost world. It includes never-before-seen Polaroids, Keith Haring sketches, and notes from legends like Henri Cartier-Bresson.
As the Millennium turned and after the 2008 financial crash, the magic faded. Davé finally closed its doors in 2018 as Cheung retired. The book now stands as a vibrant, intimate elegy to a unique moment when Paris's most famous faces found family, freedom, and chaos behind a door that always said 'full'.
