Chef Profiles: Simon Laborde of Les Enfants Terribles

Isabelle Vallée
A curious and inquisitive blogger

A professional and passionate advocate of digital marketing, Isabelle Vallée has long contributed to Montreal’s cultural vitality by handling communications for the city’s major fashion events. Now a freelancer for nearly five years, she helps organizations tackle their online presence challenges by offering 360° web strategy, community management, and personalized content marketing services. In January 2015, Isabelle launched the cultural platform lesbonsplans.ca, where she serves as editor-in-chief and photographer. Curious, a foodie, and a lover of culture, she shares on this blog what to see, what to do, and what to discover on the North Shore, in Laval, and in the Laurentians.

Today, I have the immense pleasure of taking you on a journey into the world of Les Enfants Terribles. Does the name ring a bell? A bistro-style restaurant that first made its mark on Bernard Street in Montreal, LesEnfants Terribles now has four locations in the greater Montreal area, including one here in Laval, at Centropolis—much to our delight! Meet the young executive chef, Simon Laborde, a passionate lover of flavors and local discoveries, who offers us delicious, inspired cuisine infused with influences from his travels.

Simon, you weren't really planning on becoming a chef. Tell me, how did you develop this passion for cooking?

It was really just a series of coincidences. At first, I wanted to be a journalist. I studied arts and humanities in college. While I was in school, I applied for a kitchen job at a Boston Pizza. I had never really worked in a restaurant before. Even though it was more assembly than actual cooking, I quickly realized I had a real knack for the trade. A coworker suggested I pursue a vocational diploma in culinary arts. From the very first day of class in that program, I knew that was what I wanted to do. I did my first internship at St-James (which was then a 5-Diamond establishment). At age 22, I started working at Le Vallier restaurant, then I helped open the Enfants Terribles location in Outremont, where I became the executive chef.

Did you know that we offer a brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.?

Describe a typical day for an executive chef overseeing 4 (soon to be 5) locations.

I wake up, check the day’s schedule on my phone, and within the first 15 minutes of my day, I end up changing the entire schedule based on discussions with my teams (laughs). I also make surprise visits to the various locations to ensure quality and consistency in terms of service, presentation, and so on. I also attend meetings with my managers (I work closely with them on menu development) and handle employee recruitment. I’m also responsible for negotiating prices and volume-based purchasing agreements with producers and suppliers. I always have to ensure the quality of the products we buy.

And here’s a scoop: a restaurant called Les Enfants Terribles is set to open soon in Magog.

How do you manage to stay on top of the latest trends in "bistronomy"?

It’s much easier today to stay up to date on the latest trends thanks to the internet and Instagram. I open my Instagram and can see what a chef in Copenhagen has posted. I also buy books. I believe we should take an interest in everything related to our profession. Shows like Chefs’ Table on Netflix inspire us too. Since I’m heavily involved in management, I also make an effort to keep up with what’s happening in the restaurant industry. As soon as a new restaurant opens, I go try it out. I also travel a lot.

Do you have any tips for people who’d like to cook more?

It depends on what kind of cooking we're talking about, but I'd say to always keep some basics in the freezer: chicken broth and beef broth, since they often take a long time to make. It's also a good idea to keep small, sealed containers of pesto in the freezer—another ingredient that can really make life easier. A recipe that might normally take an hour and a half can then easily be made in 45 minutes.

A dish you absolutely must try at Les Enfants Terribles restaurant in Laval

The braised short ribs, of course (laughs). The beef cheek shepherd’s pie is definitely worth trying, too. I’d love to tell you about so many dishes depending on the season. In the summer, heirloom tomatoes stuffed with burrata—an Italian cheese—are magical!

So, what’s the best table in your restaurant?

That’s a tough question, because there are several lovely tables here in Laval. I’d probably say our round table overlooking the heart of Centropolis or the long table right next to our wine cellar.

Education/Awards and Honors: Last year , Simon was the winner of the TV show*Le Combat des villes*. We wish him the best of luck, as he is currently auditioning to appear on the Canadian show Chopped. In addition, he is working on securing an internship this summer at the highly coveted Central Restaurante in Lima, Peru (which was named the fourth best restaurant in the world). We hope it works out for him!!!