Latest news with #Europea
Montreal Gazette
04-07-2025
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
Can a $10 fee save restaurants from no-shows? Some Montreal chefs are doubtful
The kitchen brigade is ready, the tables set. But when guests don't show, chef Jérôme Ferrer is left doing the math. At Europea, his Michelin-starred restaurant in downtown Montreal, a no-show is more than an empty chair. With tasting menus priced up to $185 and tables reserved weeks in advance, a last-minute cancellation can mean hundreds in lost revenue and no way to fill the seat. It's a problem many restaurateurs are all too familiar with. Known as 'ghost reservations,' the trend has worsened in recent years, hurting the profits of restaurants already stretched thin. Beginning July 17, Quebec will allow restaurants to charge a maximum of $10 per person when no one from a reserved party arrives. To apply the fee, restaurants must meet several conditions, including confirming the reservation between six and 48 hours beforehand and providing a simple way to cancel. The Quebec government has framed the measure as a fair response to the rising no-show phenomenon. But while the fee is largely seen by many in the industry as a step in the right direction, others say it still falls short. A $10 fee for a $200 meal? 'At Europea, $10 doesn't even begin to cover what we lose,' Ferrer said. Guests coming to his restaurant already receive a call the day before and again the day of their reservation, he said. But a large group failing to show up — or even arriving short-handed — remains a big problem. 'It's a small victory,' Ferrer said of the new policy. 'But it won't solve the problem. To do that, we'll have to rethink how reservations work.' Ferrer believes the system needs to shift entirely, toward prepayment or deposits, like in the hotel or concert world. 'Maybe we offer our $90 menu for $75 if you pay in advance,' he said. Short-handed groups hit hard For Damiâo Santos, director of the popular Ferreira Café on Peel St., the main challenge is not necessarily diners failing to show up altogether, but groups arriving short-handed. 'You'll have a booking for 12, and only seven arrive,' he said. 'That's a loss we can't recoup.' Even then, dealing with the shortfall is complicated, Santos said, as restaurants try not to upset customers. Ferreira tends to approach the issue with flexibility, hearing guests out and rarely enforcing penalties. 'I'd rather lose a few dollars than frustrate a customer who had a death in the family,' he said. 'Sometimes, you just don't know what happened.' Santos said, for the moment, Ferreira doesn't plan to adopt the new policy, though he acknowledged it might be useful during peak hours or in restaurants with more rigid service structures. The Association Restauration Québec (ARQ), which represents more than 18,000 establishments across the province, estimates that ghost reservations cost restaurants an average of $49,000 annually. For some, losses can reach nearly $100,000. Cumulatively, the damage is estimated at more than $400 million a year. Santos said he didn't know the precise impact of no-shows at Europea, but noted the loss was 'significant.' Most back the fee According to a Léger poll conducted this year, nearly 70 per cent of Quebecers support the idea of a no-show fee, suggesting customers may be ready to accept what is already common practice in other industries. 'When you go to a concert, you pay in advance,' Ferrer said. 'But in restaurants, we've never been allowed to protect ourselves.' Ferrer pointed to deeper structural issues: limited parking in downtown Montreal, rampant construction and a fragile restaurant economy where margins are tight and success is never guaranteed. 'We have 25 to 30 in the kitchen, almost twice as many in the dining room,' Ferrer said. 'We're lucky we can organize ourselves. But the chef who's answering the phone while cooking doesn't have that luxury.'
Western Telegraph
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Serbian police remove barricades and make new arrests as protesters block roads
Demonstrators are demanding the release of dozens of university students and others arrested after a massive weekend rally, accused of attacking the police or plotting to overthrow the government. Police dismantled metal fences and moved garbage containers blocking traffic in Belgrade's Zemun district on Monday, while several dozen protesters raised their hands in the air and chanted anti-government slogans. Serbian gendarmerie officers prepare to remove a street blockade that was set up as part of a protest in Belgrade, Serbia (Darko Vojinovic/AP) Police also intervened separately in a city centre area. Protesters later changed tactics and continuously walked over a pedestrian crossing, thus blocking traffic again. The protests and blockades began after a train station canopy collapsed in November, killing 16 people. Many in Serbia blamed the tragedy on corruption-fuelled negligence in state infrastructure projects. Thousands of demonstrators halted traffic at various locations in Belgrade and elsewhere throughout the country on Sunday evening, including a key bridge over the Sava River in the capital. Police removed those blockades early on Monday. Police said in a statement that a number of people were detained but did not specify how many. Video posted on social media showed police vehicles driving at high speed through a blockade in one Belgrade street and people fleeing in panic. Serbian gendarmerie officers stand in front of anti-government protesters in Belgrade, Serbia (Darko Vojinovic/AP) Mr Vucic praised police action in a statement during a visit to Spain, saying: 'Citizens should not worry, the state is strong enough to secure law and order.' On Saturday, tens of thousands of people demanded a snap parliamentary election at a student-led rally they hope will oust Mr Vucic's right-wing government. Groups of protesters clashed with police after the official part of the rally ended. Dozens were later detained. Mr Vucic has refused to call the election, which is scheduled to be held in 2027. University students and professors are a key force behind nearly eight months of almost daily protests and Mr Vucic has accused them of 'terror' and attempts to destroy the country. Riot police used batons, pepper spray and shields to charge at demonstrators who threw rocks and other objects at police cordons. Nearly 40 people face criminal charges over the clashes, police said. People react as Serbian gendarmerie officers remove a street blockade that was set up as part of a protest in Belgrade (Darko Vojinovic/AP) Authorities detained at least eight university students for alleged acts against the constitutional order and national security, accusing them of planning attacks on state institutions. Critics say Mr Vucic has become increasingly authoritarian since coming to power over a decade ago, stifling democratic freedoms while allowing corruption and organised crime to flourish, which he has denied. Serbia is formally seeking entry to the European Union, but Mr Vucic's government has nourished relations with Russia and China.
Montreal Gazette
25-05-2025
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
Michelin stars trigger booking surge at Montreal restaurants
By When the Michelin Guide awarded one coveted star to only three Montreal restaurants earlier in May, the effect was immediate — reservations surged, phones buzzed and inboxes filled with booking requests. At Mastard, a restaurant in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, chef and owner Simon Mathys said demand has increased significantly. 'It's been crazy in a good way,' he said. Quebec's Michelin Guide, which is the third in Canada after Toronto and Vancouver, has drawn attention to the restaurants it featured. The three Michelin starred establishments in Montreal — Mastard, Jérôme Ferrer's Europea, and Sabayon — report heightened interest. But Mastard, which offers a single tasting menu served only on weekday evenings, will not be expanding its hours, Mathys said. The restaurant is only open for dinner and remains closed on weekends. 'We received a star for what we were already doing, so there's no point in changing,' he said. 'We want to preserve our quality of life.' Mathys lives nearby with his family. He said the local response has been notable. 'People were honking, neighbours knocked on my door to say congratulations,' he said. Europea's lunch menu is popular Jérôme Ferrer's Europea, a long-established downtown restaurant, has extended its booking window from three to five weeks following the Michelin announcement, according to Valentine Gros, who oversees the restaurant's gastronomic service. 'We've seen a big increase in calls,' he said. 'It's become very difficult to find a table.' Gros said the restaurant's $50 and $90 lunch menus have become especially popular, with bookings rising since the guide's release. The set lunch includes three courses, a glass of wine and a complimentary amuse-bouche. By contrast, the evening set menu is $185 with a $250 wine pairing option. 'It allows people to experience a Michelin-starred restaurant at a lower price point,' he said. Sabayon bombarded with messages At Sabayon, co-owner Marie-Josée Beaudoin said the restaurant was already fully booked most nights before the announcement. But since receiving the star, inquiries have increased. 'We've been getting messages from everywhere,' she said. 'There's a lot of interest.' The Quebec Michelin Guide was promoted in partnership with the Alliance de l'industrie touristique du Québec and backed in part by six organizations across local, provincial, and federal levels. While full financial details remain confidential, the city of Montreal and Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions confirmed contributions totalling $750,000. A 2024 survey by Quebec's tourism ministry found 70 per cent of would-be summer visitors were interested in the Michelin Guide. However, despite now being under the Michelin spotlight, the chefs and owners say their recipe for success remains unchanged. 'This is like inviting someone to my home,' Mathys said. 'And when you come to my home, I'm the one who decides what's for dinner.' Asked whether he might open the restaurant for lunch in the future, Mathys replied: 'No way.'
Kuwait Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Trump calls Putin, Russia, Ukraine to start truce talks
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON/KYIV: US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Russia and Ukraine 'will immediately start negotiations' toward a ceasefire and an end to their three-year-old war, speaking after he held a call with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. 'Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin immediately,' Trump said in a Truth Social post following his call with Putin, which lasted two hours. After the call, Putin said efforts to end the war were 'generally on the right track' and that Moscow was ready to work with Ukraine on a potential peace deal. 'We have agreed with the president of the United States that Russia will propose and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace accord,' Putin told reporters near the Black Sea resort of Sochi. The Kremlin said Putin and Trump are both for 'normalization' of US-Russia ties, adding the leaders also discussed Iran and a potential new US-Russia prisoner swap. There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the statement that talks would begin immediately. A source familiar with the matter earlier said Zelenskiy spoke 'for a few minutes' with Trump before the US leader's call with Putin. Kyiv has said it is ready for a ceasefire now while Moscow has said conditions must be met first. On social media, Trump said he had 'informed' Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen and the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Finland of the resumption of peace talks in a call immediately after his conversation with Putin. In his social media post, Trump said the Vatican, 'as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. Let the process begin!' Putin and Trump spoke after direct talks last week in Turkey between Moscow and Kyiv, the first since 2022 in the early months of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Talks last week failed to agree on a truce. US Vice President JD Vance earlier repeated a warning that Washington could walk away from the peace process. Putin said the memorandum would define 'a number of positions, such as, for example, the principles of settlement, the timing of a possible peace agreement'. He said that if appropriate agreements were reached, there could be a ceasefire, adding that direct talks between Russia and Ukraine gave 'reason to believe that we are generally on the right track'. 'The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis,' Putin said. 'We just need to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace. He thanked Trump for supporting the resumption of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv and said Trump noted Russia's support for peace, though the key question was how to move towards peace. Trump, who has promised to bring a swift end to Europe's deadliest war since World War Two, has repeatedly called for a ceasefire after three years when Washington joined other Western countries in arming Ukraine. European leaders have said they want the United States to join them in imposing tough new sanctions on Russia for refusing a ceasefire. The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy spoke to Trump on Sunday ahead of his call with Putin. Putin was speaking from Sochi while Trump was in Washington. Shortly before the call, Vance told reporters that Washington recognized there was 'a bit of an impasse here'. 'And I think the president's going to say to President Putin: 'Look, are you serious? Are you real about this?'' Vance said as he prepared to depart from a visit to Italy. 'I think honestly that President Putin, he doesn't quite know how to get out of the war,' Vance said. He said it 'takes two to tango. I know the president's willing to do that, but if Russia is not willing to do that, then we're eventually just going to say, 'This is not our war.' We're going to try to end it, but if we can't end it, we're eventually going to say: 'You know what? That was worth a try, but we're not doing any more.'' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump wanted to see a ceasefire, but that he had grown 'weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict'. Asked if a package of secondary sanctions against Russia remains on the table, she said: 'I think everything's on the table.' Putin, whose forces control a fifth of Ukraine and are advancing, has stood firm on his conditions for ending the war, despite public and private pressure from Trump and repeated warnings from European powers. – Agencies
Montreal Gazette
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Montreal Gazette
Quebec restaurateurs say Michelin Guide ratings ‘a recognition of who we are'
Reactions to the launch of the Michelin Guide's Quebec edition were mixed in Montreal's restaurant scene, Thursday afternoon, as news got around about who did and didn't get a star from the world famous and famously finicky food ratings behemoth. Jérôme Ferrer was still absorbing the fact that his restaurant had been awarded a coveted Michelin star. 'It's the fruit of 23 years of work. We're very, very happy,' said the chef and co-owner of Restaurant Jérôme Ferrer — Europea in downtown Montreal. 'For us, it's excellence. Michelin stars are a reference worldwide. It's a recognition of who we are.' Conceived by its titular chef-owner with help from Quebec actor, playwright and stage director René Richard Cyr, Europea offers a range of immersive and interactive eating experiences for customers up for adventure. 'I like to plunge my clients into a playful universe,' Ferrer said, adding, 'the real success belongs to the people around me, the team of professionals — 40 per cent of the people working at the restaurant have been with me since the beginning. I dedicate this to them, my partner, my friends. It's very emotional, for a little guy who started to cook age 15.' His restaurant was one of just three in Montreal — along with Sabayon in Point St. Charles and Mastard in Rosemont — and nine in the province to receive a Michelin star, with Quebec City's Tanière 3 being the only two-star restaurant, according to the guide. 'Is it really what our city deserves? I don't know,' Ferrer said. 'I'm very touched, but I also have a thought for all my friends and colleagues who didn't receive this supreme recognition.' Down in Pointe St-Charles, Sabayon co-owners Marie-Josée Beaudoin and her partner, chef Patrice Demers, were doing double duty answering phone calls as word spread of the Michelin star awarded to their intimate 14-seat eatery, which opened in August 2023. 'We're very happy,' Beaudoin said. 'It's really a nice honour. We didn't know what to expect. Our clients have told us we deserve a star but you never know. For Patrice, to see his cuisine recognized in the Michelin Guide is very prestigious. It's world renowned, and a recognized gauge of quality. After 25 years of doing this, the two of us, it's a nice cherry on top.' Sabayon offers a six-course tasting menu, Thursday to Saturday evening, as well as afternoon tea with three desserts, Fridays and Saturdays. Everyone who enters eats food cooked with care by Demers and served by Beaudoin, which she believes may have given them an edge. 'Michelin likes consistency,' she said. 'We're consistent in our way of doing things. And Patrice's signature as a pastry chef can be felt, even in his savory dishes. We try to showcase Quebec products, working with fish, seafood and vegetables, with very little meat. It's all about délicatesse and precision.' Though she and Demers were overjoyed at their achievement, they too had a pang for other notable Montreal businesses that did not receive a star. 'We expected more restaurants to be on the list, and to be with more of our colleagues,' she said. 'But it's the first edition; more restaurants will be added in the years to come.' Many of our city's best-known eating establishments — from Vin Mon Lapin to Joe Beef by way of Lawrence, Vin Papillon and Le Violon — did not receive Michelin stars but were instead to be found on the list of 44 Montreal restaurants (and 76 in all of Quebec) to receive a Michelin Recommended rating, the guide's equivalent of an honourable mention. Among them was Foxy, which was taken over from former chef-owners Dyan Solomon and Éric Girard in 2023 by sommelière (and former employee) Véronique Dalle and partner Bruno Lesieur. 'It's been less than half an hour and already half my contacts have called,' Dalle told The Gazette. 'I'm discovering what this means along with you. It's something positive. We're very happy to be mentioned. There weren't many restaurants; we realize only a small batch was selected, so I'm very thankful that they recognized our work. I'm happy to be among all these good restaurateurs.' On top of the recognition for Foxy's wood-burning oven- and coal-roasted fare came a bonus prize: a Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award, attributed to Dalle, though she was quick to clarify that the honour belongs to her head bartender Sabrina Touzel. 'We're five sommeliers on the floor,' she explained. 'The bar menu has been worked on in detail, along with the wine list. We're trying to do good work on all levels, but for sure our bar program is very interesting.' Another of Montreal's Michelin Recommended restaurants is chef Normand Laprise's Toqué!, an institution in the city. Reached between his lunchtime and dinner services, he said the recognition was bittersweet. 'It's disappointing for my team,' Laprise noted. 'Toqué! has existed for 32 years, but OK — Michelin makes their own breakdown. It's what they decided. Sometimes I find these things a bit funny.' He was still pondering Michelin's description of his restaurant as 'a classic address' that offers 'solidly traditional cuisine' inspired primarily by French gastronomy. 'Did they really eat at our restaurant?' he wondered. 'It's funny, they say we offer classic French cuisine — we're anything but that. There's no description of the plates. It's a bit odd, but it's a rating like the others. If it's not this year, maybe it will be next. 'I've been working with Quebec producers and distributors for 25 years. That's always been my philosophy: local, traceable products, not just from Quebec but good (quality). I feel like that didn't interest them and their rankings. I'll live with it. I can't do much about it. We'll keep working hard and taking care of our customers. If I was 31 and my restaurant had just been here two years, I might be more stressed. ... I know what I'm doing and what we want to do with the means we have.' The only restaurant in the province to receive two stars was Tanière 3, run by co-owner-chef François-Emmanuel Nicol and dining room manager Roxan Bourdelais. The restaurant won top honours at the Lauriers de la Gastronomie Québécoise 2024. Tanière 3 — which Michelin described as 'avant-garde' chef François-Emmanuel Nicol's 'gastronomic research laboratory' exploring 'all the nuances to be derived from the immense terroir of Quebec's boreal zone' — offers a blind tasting menu of around 15 courses either in the dining room or at the chef's counter. 'My god, I have no words at the moment to describe what we feel,' said co-owner Roxan Bourdelais, who also received the Michelin Outstanding Service Award. 'We're preparing for this evening's service and we're all having out-of-body experiences at the moment.' Though they had no expectations regarding Thursday's announcement, he and Nicol had ambitions. 'We were aiming for two stars,' Bourdelais said. 'If we got one star, we would have been super happy. We conceived the restaurant, in an unconscious way, with those standards. François-Emmanuel and I have the same vision of excellence we wanted to apply and push ourselves to maintain every day, and for the whole team to embark on.' The Michelin Guide's arrival is 'really big news for Quebec as a whole,' he said. Former Gazette fine dining critic Lesley Chesterman is not so sure. She was particularly disappointed that so many of Montreal's best restaurants were passed up for Michelin stars. 'I think there's going to be a big backlash,' she said. 'It's terrible. Some people there are very good, like Arvi in Quebec City. I'm so glad they got a star. And Mastard's star is well-deserved. But when I look at all the people left off the list, I'm sad.' Chesterman was at a photo shoot for her forthcoming food-and-wine book En accord, written with her partner, former Le Devoir wine critic Jean Aubry. 'I'm sitting with a group of people who have all worked in food and we're all shocked that Quebec got more attention than Montreal,' she said. 'I love Quebec City, it's a great food city, but Montreal is still the capital. It really makes me question who the judges are and their criteria.' The fact that so many notable Montreal restaurants were listed among the Recommended destinations did not make up for the lack of stars awarded in our city, she said. 'It just feels like compensation. The thing everyone was waiting for was the stars, and the stars are weird. It just feels odd. I don't know. I'm unpleasantly surprised.' This story was originally published May 15, 2025 at 7:34 PM.
