Well known for her role as a mentor on the TV show Les Chefs! Colombe St-Pierre gave news to the newspaper Le Soleil and we offer you a summary of this meeting. We will also give you news about an acquisition made by the Grandio group and the epic of Guillaume Leduc, intern in Sweden.
First, celebrity chef Colombe St-Pierre has moved her popular Cantine Côtière to Saint-Fabien, Quebec, amidst doubts about the opening of her flagship gourmet restaurant Chez Saint-Pierre. The Cantine Côtière was previously located in the parking lot of St. Cecilia's Church in Rimouski, but zoning rules prohibited it from operating. City Council granted St. Pierre a waiver from 2020 to 2022 to operate during the pandemic. Despite the council's suggestion to revise the regulations, the uncertainty seems to have been too great. St-Pierre moved her operation west to St. Fabien, where she took over the former Cantine de la Mer premises to set up her own containers. Ms. St-Pierre spoke about the place of canteens in Quebec's food culture and the challenges facing the restaurant industry. The pandemic has severely affected the industry, and the rising cost of food and service fees has added to the challenges. Zoning regulations played a role in her decision to move. Ms. St-Pierre called for a review of zoning regulations in Quebec to meet the challenges of modern society. She also spoke about her relationship with Saint-Fabien and her decision to democratize gastronomy.
Secondly, the Grandio Group, headed by Jean Bédard, has acquired Gibbys restaurants, which specialize in grilled meats and seafood. With plans to open additional locations to complement those in Montreal and St. Sauveur, Jean Bédard hopes to make Gibbys a successful Quebec brand. The owners of Gibbys approached Mr. Bedard five years ago, but he was not ready to embark on such an adventure. Now, Gibbys is ready to expand to the South Shore, Quebec City and the Outaouais region. The current employees of the two restaurants, located in Saint-Sauveur and in Old Montreal, will remain in place. Products signed Gibbys could also be found in supermarkets.
Other news from Grandio
In addition, Moishes, also acquired by La Cage in 2018, will open in Montreal's International District in early summer. Grandio Group now has 55 locations, including La Cage, Cochon Dingue, Lapin Sauté, Ciel!, Paris Grill, Café du Monde, Madame Chose, Chez Lionel - Brasserie Française, IRU Izakaya, Crémy Pâtisserie, Moishes and Gibbys. La Cage - Brasserie sportive also announced the opening of its first branch in Bordeaux, France.
Finally, Guillaume Leduc, a young chef from Quebec City, sold all of his belongings to pursue his dream of fine dining and landed a 3-month internship at Frantzén restaurant in Stockholm, one of the most distinguished restaurants in the world with three Michelin stars. Frantzén specializes in Nordic gastronomy with a Japanese inspiration and perfectionism is the key. Guillaume Leduc has always admired this restaurant and wants to learn as much as he can from the best in his field. He also hopes to attract the attention of management for a possible job in a new restaurant in Dubai. His former boss, François Blais, who follows his career from a distance, is proud of his personal development and success.
