Tipping is once again in the news today in our Quick Delivery, as two experts interviewed by fellow journalists give their opinion on the subject. Also, you will learn more about the Pâturage - Espaces Gourmands de Sainte-Perpétue and we highlight the death of an eminent restaurateur from Granby.
First, electronic terminals have changed the practice of tipping in restaurants, with some options now offering 18% or 20%, or even removing the 15% choice altogether.
According to Julie Blais Comeau, business etiquette specialist, and Line Lavoie, know-how advice trainer, a fair tip should be given before taxes and can be calculated individually. Blais Comeau suggests that 15% is still appropriate in most cases, but for regularly frequented places or special occasions, such as business lunches, she recommends going up to 18% or 20% depending on the service received. . Lavoie stresses that it is important to check if the tax is included in the amount offered at the time of payment and to ask the staff for clarification if necessary.
In higher-end restaurants, a 20% tip may be expected due to the extra service provided by the sommelier and other staff. For buffet-style restaurants, a 10% tip may be sufficient, since employees are primarily focused on refilling containers rather than individual service. It is also possible to leave 15% in buffet restaurants if desired, as tips are usually split between staff there.
It is important to take into account the nature of the service received and to appreciate the work of the staff when deciding on the amount of the tip.
Then, 27-year-old Chloé Ouellet opened Au Pâturage - Espaces Gourmands four years ago in a former theater in Sainte-Perpétue. His restaurant reflects his farm-to-table vision. Originally from Matane, in Gaspésie, his restaurant career began at the age of 14. After working in different establishments, she decided to start her own home chef business. Four years ago, she followed her former spouse and opened her restaurant in a village without any other establishment.
Au Pâturage - Espaces Gourmands is both a restaurant and a farm, with a greenhouse and land under cultivation without inputs. Chloé Ouellet emphasizes the importance of local community support and collaborates with several local businesses. She is also dedicated to the cultivation of many varieties of plants and mushrooms with the aim of creating a menu exclusively from local vegetables.
The restaurant welcomes up to 55 customers from Thursday to Saturday, offers a tasting menu and the possibility of visiting the greenhouse and the gardens. On Sundays, Chloé offers an affordable brunch to make her restaurant accessible to everyone. To enhance the experience of her customers, she has equipped the terrace with a traditional wood-fired oven, thus adding appetizing smells to the atmosphere.
Finally Jacqueline Desrochers Duhamel, co-founder of Rôtisseries Duhamel and eminent restaurateur and businesswoman of Granby, died at the age of 85. She leaves behind a considerable and lasting legacy in the community, being recognized as a remarkable builder and visionary.
The entrepreneurial journey of Jacqueline and her husband Bernard began in 1957 when they began testing poultry recipes in their family home. Inspired by the restaurant industry, they opened their first restaurant on Racine Street in Granby in December 1958. The couple was involved in the business until 1994. In 1986, the second generation, whose sons Claude and Alain, joined the company. Claude, who has a background in finance, joins forces with his brother who is already working in the family business. They became full owners in the mid-1990s. In 1998, the family lost Bernard Duhamel.
In 2008, the third generation took over the family business and Rôtisseries Duhamel now has six owners, including grandchildren Jérémie, David, Andrée-Anne, Cédrik, Binjamin and Roxane Duhamel. Claude Duhamel sold his shares in the company in 2016, and his brother Alain did the same about two years ago.
An institution in Granby, the Rôtisseries Duhamel will celebrate their 65th anniversary in December. With three restaurants and 135 employees, the business continues to thrive and deliver its renowned cuisine to Granby and the region. Beyond her role as a businesswoman, Jacqueline Desrochers Duhamel was a beloved wife, mother and grandmother. She leaves behind a large and loving family, consisting of four children, 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Her family remembers her as an exceptional woman who rose to prominence at a time when the business world was predominantly male-dominated. The funeral was held at the Girardot et Ménard funeral complex in Granby, where donations were accepted in his honor for the Fondation Louis-Philippe Janvier or the Fondation Un souffle et des wings.
