Ratinaud French Cuisine (2082 Gottingen Street) opened at the tail end of 2011, as Frédéric Tandy’s one man show. After almost four years of growth and expansion, including numerous staff additions, a partner (recently Tandy reacquired full ownership), several sausages, a veritable chorus of cheeses, and 2013’s launch of a limited-seating restaurant program, The Kitchen Table, Ratinaud is making its biggest move to date: a move to 2157 Gottingen Street, the Vogue Building.
“We’re just moving down the road,” says Tandy. “It’s a much bigger space, with about three times the space than we have right now. The space is divided into two floors: the main floor will have the restaurant, The Kitchen Table. We’re expanding it to 20 seats and it will be available four nights a week.”
Tandy says that the bigger Kitchen Table will have a “very similar concept, but be very different.” Part of the difference will be the addition of executive chef Joe MacLellan. Formerly a sous-chef at EDNA, and chef de cuisine at Des Barres Manor Inn before that, MacLellan will work alongside Tandy on the dinners. “It’s going to be great,” he says.
Along with the revamped Kitchen Table, the expanded kitchen space will allow Tandy to add to the retail products that the Ratinaud shop offers. “We will expand our product line as well,” he says. “Especially on the curing side. And we will have also other products on the side, like condiments.” Chris Young already a regular fixture at Ratinaud, will be managing the charcuterie side of the business with Tandy.
Tandy hopes to have the move completed and the new shop open by mid-September. Don’t fret about a confit shortage or a charcuterie blackout, though; there shouldn’t be much interruption to business during the move.
One thing we can all hope for is to see some creative sausage/slushie pairings with their new neighbours at @ScotiaPharmacy.
