In this new edition of the fast delivery, the time has come to discuss the change of course of David McMillan, who announced that he left his restaurants, restaurants that are still idling, more than 18 months after the start of the pandemic. , the nomination of Dominic Jacques as chef of the year and finally a donation of $ 5,200 which will be given to POSA following the Challenge of chefs of the Chambly region.
So, let's start with the big news that rocked the restaurant world when David McMillan announced his decision to leave his restaurants. McMillan was well known for the successes with its restaurants Joe Beef, McKiernan, Vinette, Vin Papillon and Liverpool House. He had worked in the kitchens of his Montreal restaurants for 32 years now.
He says he made this difficult decision because he feels angry, disillusioned and tired in the restaurant business. "I no longer had any fun coming to work. "
Of course, the pandemic and the labor shortage are a big part of his decision-making.
He therefore leaves the orders to his associates, Fred Morin and Allison Cunningham.
At the same time, Joe Beef's executive chef, Gabriel Drapeau, also decided to leave in order to join the ranks of WeCook. He will be the new head of culinary operations for the Montreal-based ready-to-eat company.
Second, according to a Restaurants Canada survey, the lifting of restrictions and sanitary measures did not bring back 100% of restaurant customers. Almost 25% of the restaurants surveyed received 50% fewer visitors compared to the same date in 2019. 80% said their establishments had received less traffic from July to September 2021 compared to the same period before the pandemic.
Government assistance is the key, according to Restaurants Canada, to help restaurants survive and minimize closures as much as possible. The association believes that the government should include the catering sector in the new Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and that if a restaurant has seen its clientele drop by 10% or more, the business should be entitled to ugly.
Also, the chef and co-owner of Rioux and Pettigrew, Dominic Jacques, was named chef of the year 2021 at the gala of the Society of chefs, cooks and pastry chefs of Quebec. Does his name mean anything to you? You must be a fan of Les Chefs! in 2012, edition in which Jacques was crowned.
Qualified by his colleagues as a determined, discreet and competent chef, he worked extra hard at his restaurant, quickly launching gourmet meal boxes to take out at the onset of the health crisis. He and his associates also put together an unusual snack bar in the summer of 2020, repeated in 2021, and finally launched the Porcelaine.
Finally, we talked about it in a recent edition of Fast Delivery, seven chefs from the Chambly region had to prepare a special menu while respecting the choice of food imposed. The event took place on November 28 in front of more than 100 people who came to taste the dishes of these chefs for a good cause. In total, $ 5,200 will be donated to POSA Sources des Monts, which fights against social exclusion and poverty among people aged 35 and under.
