Remi Poliquin
Counsel
Bring Your Own Wine Experience at Le Saucier
by Dan Mullins
The student-run dining room at the Pearson Adult and Career Centre Vocational campus has implemented a major change to make the experience even more appealing to the community. Guests dining at Le Saucier can now bring their own wine, beer, or cider to pair with meals prepared and served entirely by students.
The new Bring Your Own Wine (BYOW) model marks a milestone for the hospitality and culinary programs at Pearson Adult and Career Centre (Vocational). Under the new guidelines, guests are welcome to bring wine, beer, cider, or canned cocktails (under seven percent alcohol) to enjoy with their meals. The change is strictly a bring-your-own arrangement; hard liquor and homemade alcohol are prohibited, and the establishment will no longer sell alcohol.
By restructuring the restaurant’s provincial permits to align with Quebec’s regulatory framework, the administration has turned a standard licensing update into an expansive educational tool. Navigating the legal complexities, adjusting service protocols, and maintaining compliance provided students in both the culinary and the food and beverage programs with a real-world window into the administrative realities of modern hospitality management.
While the shift represents an update for the Board, the inspiration behind the change belongs entirely to the restaurant’s dedicated patrons. Over the years, Le Saucier has built a deeply loyal following within the community, consistently earning above 4 stars across restaurant rating services such as Tripadvisor, RestoMontreal, and Yelp. On several occasions, guests celebrating milestones like birthdays and anniversaries expressed a desire to pair their personal favorite vintages with the student-driven seasonal menus. In one case, a couple celebrating their anniversary shared that they kept special bottles at home and hoped for the opportunity to open them while continuing to support the restaurant and the students’ educational journey.
To continue to make the restaurant as accessible as possible to its patrons, the institution has chosen not to charge a corkage fee. Prices remain intentionally low to reflect Le Saucier’s primary status as a teaching facility, and the new policy offers guests an incredibly affordable dining experience while ensuring that student learning remains at the heart of every service.
The administrative steps required to implement the change were led by the centre’s administration team in close collaboration with the Lester B. Pearson School Board, ensuring that all provincial operational requirements were met. The process also involved extensive consultation with instructional staff to ensure the day-to-day rhythm of the kitchen and dining room continues to provide meaningful, hands-on experiential learning that reflects the reality of the industry. By listening to its guests, the centre has created an environment where community celebration and vocational training enrich one another, ensuring that as students step up to the stoves and service stations, they do so with a clear understanding of both their craft and the community they serve.
4 Responses
What hours are you open and is there a menu
Hi Debra, check out their website at https://lbpce.ca/le-saucier-psca-restaurant/ — seasonal food, business hours “by reservation” — try giving them a call or emailing them for more info! 514-363-6213 lesaucier@lbpearson.ca
I’d love to make a reservation, how do I go about making a reservation?
Hi Maureen, to reserve at Le Saucier, please call 514-363-6213 or email lesaucier@lbpearson.ca — bon appétit!