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
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.