In l'Anse St-Jean, Le Bistro La Chasse-Pinte, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022, has little to do with a cauldron. It's worth noting that the term is linked to the famous tourtière: the one from Lac-Saint-Jean, of course, but in the Saguenay it is first cooked in a 'chasse-pinte', a corruption of the English word saucepan, which means 'frying pan'. That said, the chasse-pinte looks more like a large pot.
In 2002, a group of residents of L'Anse-Saint-Jean transformed a former fishing camp belonging to the Price family into a small cultural bistro. Very quickly, Bistro de l'Anse became an essential social hub, with a rich cultural life. Today, the establishment is recognized as a true institution throughout the region. It offers a menu of original dishes, serves beers and cocktails, and hosts a variety of musical performances throughout the summer, bringing together well-known and lesser-known artists.
In 2013, a solidarity cooperative was created to establish a microbrewery. The cooperative then acquired the bistro, which now bears the name Chasse-pinte, as does the microbrewery that began operations in 2015 in the former fire station. Since then, the microbrewery has been creating beers that draw on the richness of boreal forest botany. They can be sampled at the Bistro and found at retailers throughout Québec.
The microbrewery employs about ten people who oversee the production of various types of organic beers, including Peau-de-Lièvre, a wheat beer with flowers, and Crochetée, an amber ale with Labrador tea, which are among the most popular of the twenty or so beers brewed there. They are classified under the categories Classic, Creative, Hoppy, and Unique Brews.
More recently, in 2021, a small shop was set up next to the Bistro (in a former snack bar), selling the microbrewery's various beers, t-shirts, caps, etc., and other souvenirs, along with local products from Ferme d'en haut, Ail du Moulin and Délices du Lac-Saint-Jean, as well as about ten agri-food products.
Regarding future development projects, the cooperative's marketing director, Ève Breton, explains that they will focus on consolidating their three current products, in addition to adding a line of ready-to-eat meals and prepared dishes available at the shop. This will allow them to better meet demand, which the Bistro itself can no longer meet, given its constantly growing popularity year after year.
L'Anse-Saint-Jean is increasingly becoming a creative community, brimming with outdoor activities, making it the perfect place to spend a summer filled with wonderful encounters and nature. Cruising, boating, kayaking and other seasonal activities attract people eager to enjoy the products and services on offer. The Bistro has become a victim of its own success, and that's why the cooperative wants to make its high-quality cuisine accessible to as many people as possible.
The Coopérative de solidarité La Chasse-Pinte employs nearly 40 people annually. It has over 1100 members.
Bistro La Chasse-Pinte
chasse-pinte.com
319, rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Boutique La Chasse-Pinte
317, rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste
L'Anse-Saint-Jean, Qc G0V 1J0
418 272-4222