Lovers of the Montréal dining scene will know that mentions of Normand Laprise (of Toqué! fame) and Charles-Antoine Crête (from Montréal Plaza) equal a five-star pedigree. That’s what new catering firm Chaud Devant! comes armed with.
Five-star flavours brought to you
Chaud Devant!’s founders, chef Amine Nasrallah and sommelier Jean-François Fournier, met in 2015 while working at Montréal Plaza. Instead of capitalizing on their creative connection to open their own restaurant, they thought — let’s take this show on the road!
The way Chaud Devant! describes itself is as a restaurant on the move. They offer foods of a quality that rivals Montréal’s greatest restaurants, so prefer to say they offer an “event gastronomy” service rather than catering. Their mission is to pair their top tier food with unique and ephemeral happenings.
Their selling points are a hand-earned savoir faire and a deep knowledge of local and seasonal products that let the Québec terroir shine. They champion local artisans and producers in an effort to offer both a unique set of flavours and to reduce their environmental impact.
Sustainable practices that stand out
Some of their other sustainable practices include the use of original, mismatched service wear for their events.
To avoid the use of disposable service wear, Chaud Devant! offers their own bespoke selection of dishware, glasses, cutlery and serving dishes collected from vintage shops — even dug out from their own family coffers. This provides the brand with a uniquely charming aesthetic as well, which matches their brand values. Any time decoration is called for, Chaud devant prioritizes vintage finds that help counter the overproduction of goods.
If, however, the situation calls for a portable or disposable option, Chaud Devant! uses compostable materials only.
Seasonal menus to tempt all attendees
Chaud Devant! specializes in upmarket products as well as fish, seafood and creative preparations of vegetables. Chef Nasrallah finds inspiration in seasonal harvests to extrapolate his menu, which he will cater to any special requirements of course.
These days, dishes on the menu might include scallop ceviche with strawberry water and ginger foam, razor clam and butternut squash salad, maple-candied Atlantic salmon, roasted Romanesco broccoli and cauliflower with ranch drizzle, chipolata dogs loaded with slaw, and deep-water shrimp rolls with corn and spicy mayo. Find more inspiration here.
Bon appétit!
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