L'Entre-Pots

When Alexandre Beaudry was a youngster, he would often look out his window where he lived at 1995 Masson Street. Back then, he had no idea that one day he would open his own restaurant at that address. "In the neighbourhood where I lived, there was a restaurant on this spot that changed hands almost every year," he says. The last time a restaurant closed up shop at the address, in 2010, he and his friend Peter Simon seized their chance.

The two owners of L' Entre-Pots, a coffee-shop/catering company, put their respective backgrounds to good use. Both have years of experience in service, and work together to run the restaurant. Alexander was a baker for a few years, while Peter's experience is in cooking and administration. So it's naturally Peter who takes care of the paperwork, accounting and the front-of-house side of things, while Alexandre wears the chef's hat and creates the menu.

Because Alexandre had lived on the block for years, knew the neighbourhood well and was aware that the nearby industries could be a significant source of customers at lunchtime. He saw a golden business opportunity. "We then became the little neighbourhood restaurant," says the chef and co-owner.