It is in adversity that we discover ourselves, we say. For those who have seen their work environment shaken, this year will have been a source of further reflection. To come full circle on a happy note, here are three people from the culinary world who took 2021 as a stepping stone to a new adventure. Last of three texts.
Columnist Allison Van Rassel is a foodie literally: a great food groupie. And people who grow it, make it, cook it. In the capital, for nearly 10 years, his name has been associated with his reports on the agri-food and culinary field broadcast on Radio-Canada platforms. A position that she chose to remodel by becoming supernumerary again and by launching her business: deTerroir Café, a responsible coffee roasting project.
She had arranged to meet us at the Saint-Suave bookstore-café, one of her favorite places in Quebec. The columnist interviewed enjoys the exercise. “I’m going to have to learn an entrepreneurial language! »She launches, especially since its range of coffees has only just been launched.
What prompts someone to leave a stable job for the world of coffee, which is already full of all kinds of offers? “At the root of this, there was a major operation, my third on my hip. I had never had such pain in my whole life! I thought to myself, “What could happen worse than this? Nothing.” “
Going into business, by comparison, suddenly seemed less daunting. “It’s just money. The rest is happiness. And the worst that can happen is that it doesn’t work. So we will start over and I will do as I have been doing from the start; make a name for me, [me tailler une] square. “
It must be said that Allison Van Rassel is not his first change of course. First a teacher, she returned to school in journalism, then made a career in radio in Toronto and Montreal before returning to her hometown. “I remember plan B from my plan A: if it doesn’t work, my career, if I can’t be the columnist I want to be, well I wanted to open a cafe and serve my community. “
She recounts her meeting with the one who became her partner, the artisan roaster Pier-Paul Fortin. “It’s super cliché, but when I tasted his coffee, I was like, ‘Oh! OKAY ! He has the knowledge that I don’t have. Me, I have knowledge that he does not have. I think that together we can do something beautiful. From then on, the idea of the project was sown, and it germinated well during his convalescence.
“My gut told me, ‘There is something happening to me that I should grab hold of.’ And at the same time, my head was telling me: “Well no, you work for Radio-Canada, you have job security…” You hear all the great stories of people who say: “It spoke to me, it was more. stronger than me ”. So I was like, “Sweetie, am I there? Is there something really strong calling me? ” I think that’s what is happening right now. I have the female dog, it’s scary, but it’s exciting! “
One coffee at a time
A year of work later, eight light to medium roast coffees are offered. Behind each variety, there is the mission to decompartmentalize specialty coffee and offer an option true to the values of third wave coffees, such as traceability, transparency and connection with the growers. But Allison Van Rassel goes further: she wants her coffee to have a positive impact in her community. “How many entrepreneurs go into food, but don’t take into consideration the people who are part of their community? I think the number one role of an entrepreneur should be it. “
The artisanal micro-roasting company of specialty coffees has therefore teamed up with Francis Leduc of the Quebec brand Mad Eye who, for each toque sold, gives one to someone in need. “I knocked on his door and told him I wanted to work with him. We perpetuate that [avec des tuques à notre effigie]. “
The same goes for the artists approached for the labels of the coffee bags. Cécile Gariépy, Maude Gervais (Les Barbos), Philippe Girard and Paule Thibault have all been called upon so that their art can be used for greater stillness. “We didn’t want to take advantage of their talent, we wanted it to be give and take. The illustrations were finished in poster format with a limited and numbered edition. All proceeds from the sale will go to Centraide, ”explains Allison Van Rassel.
She says it herself, her role as an observer of the food scene gives her a different perspective on the environment and allows her to put on the table an offer that did not exist. “We’re going to tell each other, coffee is a cash cow,” she proclaims. Why do you think there are so many who do? We come up with a greener, more transparent, more responsible product to have a real impact. What I want is that those who make money like water with their coffee have a little problem of conscience. That they say to themselves: “OK, we have to do this too because others highlight what we are doing wrong.” If I succeed in doing this, well my job is done. “