Kamúy's Toussaint stays positive
`I just find a way to make things happen and keep myself happy,' owner says
Everyone has a story to tell. My Pandemic Year is a series in which Montrealers from all walks of life talk to Brendan Kelly about how the COVID-19 pandemic radically changed their world in 2020.
Paul Toussaint knew it would be complicated to open a restaurant right in the middle of a pandemic — and so it was.
The Montrealer, who originally hails from Haiti, opened Kamúy in August, right on the Place des Festivals beside Place des Arts, and the resto's pan-caribbean menu was an immediate hit with local food lovers. But just as it was developing a buzz, Premier François Legault once again shut down the city's restaurant dining rooms when Montreal was declared a red zone in the fall.
Like many other restaurateurs, Toussaint began offering takeout at Kamúy, but after a month realized it was simply too costly. So at the end of October, Toussaint moved all of his takeout business to his location at the Time Out Market in the Eaton Centre. (That outlet is simply called Paul Toussaint.) He said part of the problem was that since Kamúy opened during the COVID crisis, he was not eligible for any government aid. The Time Out restaurant does receive government help because it opened before the pandemic.
“My two chefs from Kamúy started working there at Time Out and they created the Kamúy experience there,” said Toussaint. “We're not making money, but we're still alive and we can provide service for our clientele.”
Time Out Market closes on Friday because of the new lockdown, so takeout will resume at Kamúy from Dec. 27 to 30 for special holiday meals. It's unclear when takeout will resume at the Time Out location.
Toussaint said it's even tougher during the second wave of COVID for his Time Out restaurant.
“During the first quarantine, people were really ordering takeout a lot,” he said. “Right now, with the holiday season coming up and with the fact people have to buy gifts for their family, I feel like people aren't ordering as much. Also, I think people are being more careful with their money because they don't know what is going to happen. So they prefer to save their money and control their expenses. Also in the winter, from January to March, people usually don't have a lot of money, so they spend less.”
He also underlines that a major part of the clientele for restaurants around Place des Festivals includes people who are going to shows in the area — at Place des Arts and other theatres — and also the numerous festivals that take place there. But, obviously, those are all cancelled for the moment, and so that has also made it tough, both when it was open for in-house dining and when it was offering takeout.
“That's why I don't want to blow all our money now with Kamúy,” said Toussaint. “I think it's better to close and then reopen better and stronger. And, hopefully, we don't have to ever close again.”
He figures Kamúy will reopen its doors at the end of March, though of course it depends on what happens with the number of COVID cases and the government regulations. He won't reopen until the government says people can come back and eat in restaurants.
It hasn't been an easy year for Toussaint, who used to be the chef at Agrikol, the Haitian restaurant
I think it's better to close and then reopen better and stronger. And, hopefully, we don't have to ever close again.
co-owned by Arcade Fire members Win Butler and Régine Chassagne.
“It's a hard year for everyone, but I think it has allowed us to realize that we can be all together and help each other,” said Toussaint. “In my own life, I am at a place where I want to take more risks. But it's been bad. Still, I can't complain. I have Kamúy. It's located in a good spot, and in a couple of years I feel we'll be able to show what we want to show to the community, to bring Caribbean culture to Montreal.”
There have been challenges in 2020 for Toussaint, but he didn't let them get him down.
“I always look at things positively,” he said. “If I'm alive, I have to stay positive. We are here. We are on the planet. When it's hard, I like to go Haiti. My mom's there. I have so many friends there. We have a different mentality. We take everything in a positive way. I don't think every day that everything should be perfect. I accept problems. I just find a way to make things happen and keep myself happy.”
The toughest part of the year for Toussaint was having to lay off most of his staff when he closed down Kamúy in the fall. He is also dismayed to see so many restaurants closing their doors for good in recent months.
“Montreal is restaurants, and when we don't have those restaurants, we don't have a city,” said Toussaint. “Montreal is known for its chefs, for its cultural life.”
Like many restaurant owners, he found it hard to see the stores open this year while the restaurants were shut down. He also felt the government could have at least let them keep their outdoor terraces open.
But even with all of the headaches, Toussaint never regretted his decision to open his restaurant in the midst of the pandemic.
“This is my life,” he said. “When you're just doing business for business, it's one thing. But if you're trying to help your culture, then you're not thinking about money.”