They met in Québec through the Internet. Before social media as we know it. An electronic bulletin board. The 1990s. They were each there for different reasons, but not so different, it turned out.
Patrick Fournier hails from Dolbeau, the one before the merger. Sébastien Simard grew up in La Baie. They already had a regional connection before they even met. Even though everyone says Saguenay and Lac Saint-Jean are not alike, it was ultimately their shared love of cooking that truly brought them together.
Patrick took a professional cooking course in Fierbourg, Québec, in 1996. Sébastien was already making his start in restaurant kitchens. Then they both wanted something different: challenges on another level. They had already worked together in the kitchen on a few occasions. It was in Montréal that they found what they were looking for.
Patrick is adamant: he had known what he wanted to do for a long time. He wanted to gain the experience and autonomy to run a kitchen and everything that comes with it. As for Sébastien, he was lucky enough to have some rather satisfying professional experiences for a chef: first, two years with Jean-François Plante, considered an artist and a master of gastronomy, from whom he learned a great deal, then five years at the famous and opulent Mirage golf club in Terrebonne, owned at the time by René Angélil and Céline Dion, where Québec's elite, and even international elite, gathered at all times.
Then, at some point in 2020, a rather tempting offer arrived. The management of the Hôtel du Jardin in Saint-Félicien, Lac Saint-Jean, wanted to breathe new life into the restaurant Le Baumier, named after the conifer that grows abundantly in the region. Patrick Fournier received the offer to become its chef. However, he wasn't going to come alone. He insisted that his partner, Sébastien Simard, be part of the offer. No sooner said than done.
That's how the two of them ended up in the kitchens of Le Baumier in September 2020, in the midst of the COVID pandemic. It was a golden opportunity to demonstrate their talent for takeout orders while public health had ordered dining rooms closed.
Since then, the chef couple has proven time and again that the owners of the Hôtel du Jardin made the right call in hiring them.
Le Baumier offers diners the pleasure of the table in a charming, welcoming setting. The menu features avant-garde dishes inspired by Nordic flavours. Each visit brings flavourful dishes that change with the seasons. Everything is prepared on-site with passion, delivering a quality and freshness that honours regional ingredients.
The gourmet dishes the chefs prepare are inspired by boreal flavours and rooted in ancestral Québec traditions, each with their distinct personal touches, avant-garde yet respectful of the ingredients, never altering them.
Le Baumier is a proud bearer of the Ambassadeurs de La Zone Boréale designation from the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean agri-food table, and also carries the Aliments du Québec label.
At the 2023 Gala de la Table agroalimentaire, Patrick and Sébastien were honoured in the "Efforts to Purchase Local Products" category. They took the opportunity to thank local and regional producers "for the exceptional quality products we are fortunate to work with." They also acknowledged the support of their employers, the Beaubien family, without whom none of this would be possible, saying they felt privileged and happy to work for them.
The two chefs at Le Baumier still have plenty of projects up their sleeves, all aimed at supporting and celebrating Québec's terroir. They also want to create new table d'hôte experiences as the seasons change. They insisted that the dining room menu be printed on quality paper, to clearly demonstrate their commitment to a prestigious brand image worthy of the dishes served.
Finally, it's worth mentioning that Le Baumier hosts numerous wedding celebrations each year, including same-sex unions. Every effort is made to ensure these events are always remarkable and unforgettable in every respect. Both chefs are, of course, called upon.
Le Baumier Restaurant at L'hôtel du Jardin
hoteldujardin.com/restaurantlebaumier
1400, boul. du Jardin
Saint-Félicien (Qc)
418 679-8422