It has been in the air for several months already, restaurateurs feel caught in the throat for several reasons. Find out what ultimately led to the closure of the popular Beaufort restaurant. Also in this Quick Delivery, we will introduce you to two Quebecers who are doing great business in the Dominican Republic and we will explore together the arrival of artificial intelligence in restaurant kitchens.

First, Beaufort, a bistro on Plaza Saint-Hubert in Montreal, recently closed its doors after more than ten years of activity, with the owner announcing inevitable bankruptcy due to financial difficulties. The year 2023 was disastrous for the restaurant industry in Montreal, with an increase of more than 80% in bankruptcies between October 2022 and October 2023 according to the Association Restauration Québec. The Beaufort, which had moved in 2021, faced significant financial challenges, including high operational costs despite satisfactory turnover.

The owner points to inflationary pressures and the constant need to cut costs, making the operation unsustainable. The current economic context has led to the closure of the restaurant, leaving the owner in search of rest after honoring salaries and rent without paying himself a salary for a year. He observes an ambient gloom in society and questions the future of the restaurant industry in the face of the real estate logic of optimal profit.

The closure of the Beaufort is seen as a relief for the owner, freed from a financial burden.

Then, a couple from Quebec, Sylvain Croteau and Carole Larichellière, realized their dream of living in the Dominican Republic by launching the company Quebec Smoked Meat two years ago. They produce cheese curds and smoked meat to satisfy snowbirds, supplying around twenty restaurants and five large supermarkets on the island. Their business is experiencing growing success. Mr. Croteau continues to develop the market by promoting the products to restaurants.

With a total investment of more than $40,000, the couple also offers cooked meals appreciated by snowbirds. To meet growing demand, three drivers were hired to ensure deliveries throughout the Dominican Republic. The couple works in a new production plant in Cabarete, making more than 30 kilos of cheese curds per day, following the traditional steps of “squick squick cheese”. Mr. Croteau acquired his expertise while working in a cheese factory in Quebec for almost a year.

Finally, technological advances are increasingly integrated into restaurant management systems and kitchens.

For example, the Montreal company Lightspeed offers technological solutions for merchants, highlighting the automation of tasks as a means of efficiency. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in management software aims to personalize offers by understanding consumption habits through the analysis of customer data.

At the just-concluded CES 2024 in Las Vegas, Chef AI demonstrated an automated air fryer using AI to detect food types.

Other innovations include a cocktail mixing machine, an automated brewing machine and a robot barista developed by Artly Coffee to replicate the gestures of a human barista.