This interview is a bonus episode in French.Melanie Blanchette is the co-owner of popular Montreal eateries Bouillon Bilk and Cadet. She and her business partner Francois Nadon opened their first restaurant in 2011 in a neighbourhood that was far from being known for white tablecloths and fine dining, with virtually no budget and no business experience. Almost overnight, it became known as one of the best food addresses in the city.A few years later, the power duo opened a second address a few doors down and named it ‘Cadet’ in homage to the army surplus store the space used to house. Today, both restaurants are filled with regulars night after night, offering the perfect setting for a pre or post-theatre or concert dinner. The opening of Bouillon Bilk played a key role in the revitalization of Montreal’s Quartier des spectacles, an area that was known for homelessness and decrepit buildings just a few years earlier. Bouillon Bilk and Cadet now enjoy a fantastic reputation both in their city and globally, having received multiple accolades for the superior dining experience they offer.Listen to Melanie’s empowering and inspiring entrepreneurial journey!