While dozens of restaurateurs are financially in hot water due to Covid loan repayment, other entrepreneurs do not hesitate to invest, launch new projects and open new branches. This is what we will see below, while the restaurant business model must adapt to today's reality, the Climats project is born at Time Out Market Montreal and Pizza Salvatoré opens a restaurant in Matane.

First, the catering sector is currently burdened by the state of emergency, with galloping inflation which is changing customer behavior and leading to increased costs for restaurateurs, jeopardizing the profitability of establishments. Numerous cascading closures have already taken place, due to the reimbursement, in part, of the Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA) subsidy. According to Restaurants Canada, half of restaurants operate at a loss, particularly in Quebec, where 17,900 establishments are facing difficulties, including well-established franchises. Independent restaurateurs, without access to shared resources, are particularly vulnerable.

To survive, restaurateurs must ask themselves crucial questions. Consumers must also think about their motivations for frequenting a restaurant, sometimes prioritizing quality over frequency of outings. Fast food continues to attract a younger audience. The relevance of the dining room is being questioned, with the possibility of adopting shared space models to reduce costs.

In this difficult period, restaurateurs are encouraged to rethink their practices, adjust team roles and consider innovative business models. The assistance of expert consultants in business models, operations management, profitability and accounting is recommended to continuously evaluate the production capacity of the teams and the relevance of the offer. This adaptation is crucial to ensure the sustainability of catering and the coming months will be decisive for the survival of many establishments.

Then, in the good news department, chef Jean-Sébastien Giguère of the h3 group will open a brasserie called Climats at Time Out Market Montreal on February 8 and will offer cuisine inspired by the region. The menu will include dishes such as three-cheese mac ‘n’ cheese and truffle crumble, halloumi tacos and a duck confit burrito with maple cucumbers and creamed corn.

Jean-Sébastien Giguère describes Climats as his vision of a modern Quebec brasserie, favoring the use of local products while maintaining warmth and accessibility. As chef partner of the h3 group, he aims to make the restaurant as self-sufficient as possible, by managing a maple grove, chickens for eggs and beehives for honey. The name of the brewery is inspired by the book “Climats: Cuisine + wine according to the seasons”, co-written by Jean-Sébastien Giguère and sommelier Hugo Duchesne, which offers recipes based on seasonal arrivals and local products.

Finally, still in terms of good news, franchisee Gabriel Beauvais will open his third Pizza Salvatoré branch in Matane, after operating restaurants in Rivière-du-Loup and Rimouski. The new branch, the 99th of the Salvatoré banner, will open its doors in August at 560, avenue du Phare Est. In September 2018, the Abbatiello family acquired the family business, which then had 14 restaurants. They consider Gabriel Beauvais as a valuable business partner and emphasize the importance of franchisees in the chain's objective of offering fast and courteous service. The Abbatiello family welcomes the success of the Rivière-du-Loup and Rimouski branches and reminds us that the franchise has opened more than 26 new branches in 2023 alone.