Capitol sheds banquet team

This change of guard was planned when the performance hall was purchased by Quebecor Sports and Entertainment in 2020.

During the transaction, Jacques Tanguay and his group of investors remained owners of the Hôtel du Capitole, the Il Teatro restaurant, the Confessionnal and the corporate rooms of the complex.

From September 15, their employees will no longer serve meals during shows broadcast at the Théâtre Capitole.

The deadline came sooner than they thought.

“Some people took the leap a little bit. Most knew that one day, it was coming. But not everyone thought it was going to be there,” says Anne-Marie Noreau, director of communications and marketing at the Capitole.

The 63 employees – who held positions as servers, cooks, chefs, banquet managers and service coordinators at the Capitol – will now be employed by Levy Restaurants.

“This entire team was bought by Levy Restaurants, which is an international catering company with which Quebecor is used to doing business,” explains the spokesperson.

They will work under the management of the American company under the same salary conditions, at their current workplace.

Facilitate operations

This change is “positive,” Quebecor Sports and Entertainment responds in an email exchange. It will facilitate and harmonize the management of operations since Levy Restaurants is already responsible for all of Gestev’s food offerings, whether at the Videotron Centre or at its major events such as Cigale, Igloofest and the Beneva Marathon in Quebec City.

“As Gestev owns the Théâtre Capitole, this transition is natural in our ecosystem. For customers, this change will have no impact on the quality of the service they will be offered,” assures management.

Employees of the Le Capitole complex will continue to offer catering services in the corporate rooms, but not in the performance hall. (Caroline Grégoire/Le Soleil)

One less contract

However, for Le Capitole, this is one less contract. On the phone with The SunMs. Noreau admits that managing the banquet service ensured a regular income.

“All in all, it’s a loss of income. A loss of contract, if you will. But we were prepared for it.”

— Anne-Marie Noreau, Director of Communications and Marketing at the Capitole

A smaller team will be formed internally to continue the catering service in the complex’s corporate rooms and the Le Confessionnal room, which can accommodate up to 230 people.

“We are very busy with all of this. It will be rebalanced with the activity of the salons which are increasingly in demand,” she anticipates.