This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
The pandemic has forced several restaurateurs to review their concept to live their passion. Current issues, such as inflation and labor shortages, encourage some to turn to tiny premises and work on a smaller scale. A trend is emerging for micro-restaurants.
Vivace: a restaurant on a human scale
Maurin Arellano has just opened Vivace, his first restaurant, on the Plateau Mont-Royal. The small business of barely 350 square feet is enough to receive 14 customers seated on three common tables. The open concept kitchen has a counter where the chef prepares her dishes and which separates it from the dining room. Behind it are flanked a fridge, a stove and a small double sink; a space where every square inch is put to good use. “I wanted people to feel that I was inviting them to eat in my kitchen! explains the chef.
For meme Arellano, who grew up in Mexico with restaurateur parents, having her own restaurant was a dream she wanted to achieve one day. “When I came here 13 years ago, I opened my caterer. I wanted to familiarize myself with the producers here, but also make myself known to the clientele. During these years, she reflected on the issues facing her professional environment: the long hours of work, food waste, spiraling food prices, employee reliability, assembly line work and high energy costs. “I said to myself that by being the only one to do everything in a small restaurant, I could slow down my energy consumption, limit food waste, choose my producers, reduce my costs and not depend on others! »
A titanic work for one and the same person. However, Maurin Arellano sees no drawbacks. “For the moment, since the restaurant is not running at full speed, it’s fine. If necessary, I have an employee who works part-time on weekends. As I don’t do it for the money but out of passion, I manage to work reasonable hours. With a tasty three-course menu that does not require long preparation, the chef saves precious time to serve her customers and chat with them.
Pizzeria Li n Lo: a more personalized service
For its part, Lillo Russo took a two-year break before embarking on its new pizzeria project with high-end ingredients, Li n Lo, in Laval. Previously, he had, for 17 years, a very successful Portuguese cuisine restaurant in the Villeray district. “I sold it in 2020, just before the pandemic hit. I no longer wanted to manage a 140-seat restaurant with all that entailed: complicated staff management, large expenses, etc. He then takes the time to think about how to best indulge his passion. “I wanted a small open space where I would have time to prepare the dishes and serve my customers at the same time. »
The Li n Lo concept, which opened last July, has only 19 seats. A central counter offers privileged places to eight customers, in the heart of the action, near the grill and the pizza oven where the two cooks are busy. A few tables complete the dozen places available. “Having fewer employees allows me to pay them more and treat them better. »
Les Mômes: welcoming people at home
A restaurant has just opened in the former premises of the Tandem restaurant in the Villeray district. The new owners, chef Yoann Van Den Berg and his wife, Marie Voyer, have changed the decor to accommodate fewer customers. “We have a capacity of 45 places, but we are aiming for 25-30 places to offer a service focused more on quality than on volume,” explains the chef. The challenge is significant since, for the moment, the two owners have chosen not to hire employees. “We decided to open in two, me in the kitchens, and my wife in the dining room for reception and service. With the lack of manpower and staff turnover affecting our environment, we preferred not to be accompanied than to be poorly accompanied,” says the chef.
Les Mômes is the couple’s first restaurant. It serves refined cuisine based on local products. Having unearthed a business within reach, they jumped at the chance. “We decided to embark on the adventure even if we planned to open later, when the children were grown up. We thought that the “Bring your own wine” permit [AVV] from the previous restaurant would be an asset and would also save us the cost of a sommelier. » Our two owners have the ambition to offer the best gourmet AVV at an affordable price.
“With more modest premises and expenses, we can offer customers an $80 three-course voucher with their bottle of wine. Yohann adds that he doesn’t cut the quality of the products, however. “Micromanagement has this good point: you can get involved at all levels, make informed choices, offer local cuisine and be proud of what you do. »
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.