TIME FOR A TIGER
By Mike Chambers

When he’s not managing finances for the Asian arm of one of the world’s largest companies, AIG’s CFO for Asia Steve Roder is likely to be found tending the finances of a decidedly smaller enterprise—Tigre Tigre, his restaurant in the scenic town of Chamonix, nestled at the base of Mont Blanc in the French Alps.

How Hong Kong-based Roder ended up as the part owner of a restaurant and the Indian food king of Chamonix is a story of chance, cash, and cuisine. “My wife’s sister and her husband had lived on Tenerife for years and dreamed of opening their own Indian restaurant,” Roder recalls. Roder remarked that an Indian restaurant might do well in Chamonix and asked a simple question: What if money was no object? Following a trip to the local real estate agent—where as luck would have it a perfect location had just become available—Tigre Tigre (the name is a reference to the classic poem by William Blake) was born.

Opened in March 2007, Tigre Tigre offers a welcome alternative to the traditional fare. “Most Alpine food consists mainly of lots of melted cheese and, especially for visitors, that gets boring pretty quick,” explains Roder. So Tigre Tigre offers homemade Indian food in a restaurant decorated as a mountain lodge. “We wanted this to be a part of the community, not just a tourist spot. So we used local firms and artisans for the refurbishment,” he says. “We get a lot of young French coming in—they love the food.”

While not involved in the day-to-day operations of Tigre Tigre, Roder is the restaurant’s money-man and also the maestro behind the wine list. “I’m quite proud of the wine list. I’m not a connoisseur by any stretch but my selections received high praise from the distributor,” he says. “Getting a compliment about wine from the French is no easy feat.” Like any good entrepreneur, Roder says he’s already looking ahead to possibly opening a second location. “There are a lot of Alpine towns out there only serving melted cheese.”