PROGRAM Key Market Differentiators: Delicious, organically-raised, affordable food you can trust Triple Bottom Agenda (People, Planet, Profits) / socially responsible business Sourced ingredients from independent, local and organic farms Elevated operational/employee-management standards Source of honest information about food, health, environment Branded educational media
Support will also come from expertise being assembled for the new Empress Board. Michel Zabitsky (Reservoir - resto/cafĂŠ/bar) will offer support and guidance to help ensure the success of the project. Other members of this new board bring much business and design experience to this special project. Advisors: Jordan LeBel, Associate Professor, Department of Marketing, Concordia Univeristy Fiona Keats, Former Director, NDG Food Depot
Working Mission statement The Empress Kitchen is a sustainable community restaurant-bar and reception hall that works to promote local food security issues and initiatives in the arondissement of Cote-des-Nieges/Notre-Dame-deGrâce and the wider community. Supportive partnerships with local organizations and farms will be developed and will contribute to an innovative approach to local food security that is both economically and environmentally sustainable. Partnerships are key to realizing the social and economic success of The Empress Kitchen. Relationships with Zephyr Farms and Le Ferme Morgan have been established. Discussions have already begun, as mentioned, with Action Communiterre (AC) who have expressed interest in working with us to develop the rooftop terrace. Letters of support have been received from AC and the NDG Food Depot. These partnerships are central to The Empress Kitchen activities but they take time to develop. It is hoped that the terrace project will be the beginning of many innovative projects for our community. Urban agriculture is an important part of our future and provides many opportunities for innovation and popular education. Permaculture workshops, seed exchanges, 100 mile dinners and local school visits are some of the ways that we will tap into this spirit of sustainable learning.
Paul Shore, Social Entrepenneur James Solkin, Founder, Brulerie Santropol and Cafe Santropol Local food, food security and urban agriculture all fit squarley into the priorities of a great many government agencies and private foundations. From the UN to the City of Montreal, governments are recognizing the importance of the local food movement. L'Office de consultation publique de Montreal recently launched a consultation on the future of Urban Agriculture in Montreal. The Empress presents an important opportunity for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce to build on this interest and create a project that will benefit all members of the community. The Empress location offers innumerable advantages that would contribute to the success of The Empress Kitchen. The primary benefits are, of course, related to the proposed new Empress venues. Film, workshop and concert goers will be key to the financial success of The Empress Kitchen. In addition, the local population, with its high educational levels (45% of the population versus 30% for the city as a whole) and high median income (its high concentration of artists, teachers and social workers are the natural target market for The Empress Kitchen. This is evidenced by the large number of residents who participate in Community Supported agriculture programs as well as the 9000+ who are members of the Coop la maison verte. This facet has received attention and support from the McConnell Family Foundation, who have expressed their interest to pursue it further upon the proposal's selection.