An article by Montreal Gazette Announcing the “retirement” of restaurateur David McMillan caused quite a stir this week. The one who has just sold his shares in the Joe Beef group declares among other things that leaving the industry sometimes gives him the impression of getting out of prison. But what about those who remain? We spoke to Frédéric Morin about the future of his restaurants.
If their long-time partner has chosen to focus on his health, his three daughters and his Saint-Armand vegetable garden and vineyard, Frédéric Morin and Allison Cunningham have decided to continue the adventure, with the teams already in place at Joe Beef, Liverpool House (and Vinette in the back), Vin Papillon and McKiernan.
Admittedly, the pandemic has not been easy. McMillan and Morin, who had taken some distance from the daily activities of their establishments, had to roll up their sleeves and find more creative ways than ever to fill chests and aluminum trays. “But if we made it through, it’s thanks to Allison, who has been doing incredible management work for years,” said Frédéric Morin, who did not comment on the departure of his long-standing partner.
With 25 years of work in the body, the chef, painter, carpenter, patenter and co-author of two books seems rather happy to be back at Joe Beef almost every night.
I am not a victim of my associates or of circumstances. I’m here because I want to.
Frédéric Morin, co-owner of Joe Beef
“I really like the face of everyone who is there at the moment,” he continues. Those who stayed are happy to be there. We are working hard to implement all kinds of things, to change ways of doing things to make our staff happier. ”
Learn from the past
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The Joe Beef.
Of course, as elsewhere, there were all kinds of overflows in the group’s restaurants. David McMillan talks about the ongoing anger that has been plaguing him lately, in the article by Montreal Gazette. Overuse of alcohol and drugs, inappropriate jokes, verbal abuse and other accusations: addresses on rue Notre-Dame Ouest have not escaped this in the past, publications such as Enjoy your food, The New Yorker and Montreal Eater, few years ago.
“Yes, there were times when we took too many customers at the restaurant, when we had certain ideas of grandeur and where the machine really got stuck. The changes in culture and operation began before the pandemic. Then COVID allowed the machine to breathe. Today, the price to pay is a great lack of personnel. But if it allowed people to get together and go and do what makes them happy, so much the better. Having said that, I would be curious to know what profession everyone went to! », Launches the boss.
Joe Beef just lost his executive chef, Gabriel Drapeau, to oversee the kitchens of Montreal-based ready-to-eat company WeCook. He is replaced by Jean-Philippe Miron. “I think Gabriel is going to be happy there. In my life, I have seen people become unhappy in their jobs. And no matter how much we make counter-offers, when a person has decided to leave, there is no point in holding them back. In order to grow, on all levels, you have to let others do their things. ”
“The only thing I can do today is act on my own environment,” continues Fred Morin. And that includes letting go. Having a restaurant can be like having children. You can make every conceivable plan for them, but they will always surprise you and do something to their liking. Take McKiernan, for example. We wanted it to be a daytime address for construction workers. Ultimately, it’s a restaurant that works well in the evenings and is popular with families, because it’s big and the little ones can move around in the space. Be like watersaid Bruce Lee! You have to adapt. ”
The parallel with children – Frédéric Morin and Allison Cunningham have three – also applies to the example we set for our neighbors. “Children are often a mirror that reflects our image to us. In their actions, if we are listening, we can see what we need to pay attention to. For several years, I was always angry. And it started to show in the behavior of others. You have to set an example, get back to work, roll up your sleeves, work hard, do the dishes! Sometimes you have to repeat, repeat, repeat. One day, it ends up returning. You have to be patient. ”
There is no denying it, the 46-year-old man, who has always been a sort of philosopher with surprising references, seems to have regained a taste for his entire profession, despite the obvious difficulties.
“I have always liked catering. For me, it’s like a teleportation machine: when you push open the restaurant door, you are elsewhere, in another world. You can travel with the kitchen, the playlist, the decoration. Today, if I want to put opera in the playlist, I will do it. I can put hats on the prime rib too if I feel like it. What at first I thought was going to be painful, I finally love it. I work with funny, resourceful and intelligent people, a generation of young cooks who have fun, read old books and want to learn, ”concludes the man for the job.
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