This Montreal restaurant is paying staff an $80,000 salary
Like many industries, the restaurant sector is rethinking how it's doing things and one Montreal eatery is offering attractive salaries
Sushi by Scratch Restaurants, which is opening a Montreal location on Friday, is offering its staff a starting salary of $80,000 per year.
"The idea is instead of treating the service industry as wage workers who work just for tips, our company likes to think we are professionals in the hospitality industry so we compensate like professionals," said the restaurant's co-owner, Phillip Frankland Lee.
It also offers a stipend for continuing education, dining credits, vacation, and sick leave.
"Like you would if you worked at a bank or if you were a lawyer. You're going to get an amount of money that you know you can live on that you know what you can do with," Lee said.
Like many industries, Quebec's restaurant industry is facing several challenges since the COVID-19 lockdowns, followed by a labour shortage and the rising cost of food.
"We are expecting menu choices to decrease in terms of numbers just to decrease the costs and we are expecting restaurant owners to make food waste a priority. So in other words they won't really give away as much free food, bread, for example," said Sylvain Charlebois, head of Dalhousie University’s Agrifood Lab.
Paying and retaining staff is another challenge.
To cope, many restaurants have increased wages and modified opening hours to give staff more time off.
"There is definitely a shift in the industry and the new generation [that has] boundaries that they are going to get the owners to respect and you can see new chefs and restaurant owners that are thinking like that," said Gaelle Cerf, one of two women behind the popular Grumman 78 food truck.
Lee's restaurant in Old Montreal will be his first location in Canada.
"We want you to work hard and we want you to reap the benefits of having a life that a professional would have," Lee said.
LISTEN on CJAD 800 Radio: How hard is it to find people to work at restaurants?
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING 122 active wildfires burning across Canada, 32 considered 'out of control'
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.
B.C. parents sentenced to 15 years for death of 6-year-old boy
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has sentenced the mother and stepfather of a six-year-old boy who died from blunt-force trauma in 2018 to 15 years in prison.
Veteran TSN sportscaster Darren Dutchyshen has died
Veteran TSN broadcaster Darren 'Dutch' Dutchyshen, one of Canada’s best-known sports journalists, has died. He was 57. His family says 'he passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones.'
Miller scores late as Canucks grind out 3-2 win over Oilers in Game 5
J.T. Miller scored in the final minute of the game and the Vancouver Canucks came back for a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Thursday.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
Police issue Canada-wide warrant for Regina homicide suspect
Police have issued a Canada-wide warrant for a man wanted in a homicide which occurred in Regina on May 12.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
Kevin Spacey receives star support as he fights to get his career back
Kevin Spacey is pushing back on the 'rush to judgment' against him and is being backed by some big names as he seeks to reclaim his acting career.
Speaker cuts ties with Sask. Party, alleges he faced threats, harassment from gov't MLAs
The Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature Randy Weekes has severed ties with the Sask. Party after accusing some members of harassment and intimidation tactics, including a situation he claimed saw the Government House Leader bring a hunting rifle to the legislative building.