For the founder of Chez Cora and Cora’s Breakfast & Lunch restaurants, initiative, perseverance, self-confidence and boundless energy have been the main ingredients in her recipe for success.
From the Gaspé Peninsula to motherhood
Cora Mussely Tsouflidou was born into a modest family in Caplan, a little village in the Gaspe peninsula. Cora had all the ingredients for success right from the very start. In 1960, she enrolled at Montreal's Cardinal Leger Institute, promising to pay for her education. There she studied Latin, Greek, literature, art and other courses that would prepare her for a professional career. But destiny had other plans: Cora was now expecting her first child, so she quit college during her final year to devote herself to her new family, and to the two other children who would soon follow. Cora abandoned her plans for a career to become a loving full-time mom.
Mouths to feed
When her husband left her ten years later, Cora was suddenly a single mother with three teenagers to support. With her usual determination, Cora bought a small neighbourhood canteen, worked hard, tripled its value and sold it. Not one to rest on her laurels, she became a hostess in a well-known Montreal restaurant, where she worked her way up the ladder as a day manager, general manager and junior partner. For the next five years, Cora perfected her knowledge of the foodservice industry until she mastered all aspects of the hospitality trade.
A fresh start. A second family.
In May 1987, Cora bought a defunct snack bar on Cote-Vertu Road in the Ville Saint-Laurent district of Montreal and embarked on a venture that would take her further than she'd ever dreamed
Still just as passionate!
On the eve of the chain’s 25th anniversary, Cora stays up to date on industry matters and regularly visits restaurants. She ensures that her quality standards are being respected by remaining in contact with her customers, her main source of inspiration and motivation. Cora takes to heart and remains involved in the creation of new dishes by testing and evaluating new recipes in order to better introduce them in the restaurants.
In the business world
Cora is the best example of a “self-made businesswoman.” In 2003, she won the Governor General’s award. She has also won several awards including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Manufacturing/Consumer Products Category, the Pinnacle Award and the Tops in Hospitality Award from Food Service and Hospitality magazine.
In 2004, Mrs. Cora Tsouflidou, was inducted into the Canadian Professional Sales Association’s Hall of Fame and in 2005 she received the Hall of Fame award from the Canadian Franchise Association. Last year, the company was named one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies. During that same year, Cora also won the “Femmes d’Affaires du Quebec” award for Entrepreneur of the year, granted by the “Reseau des Femmes d’affaires du Quebec Inc.”
The story behind some of our plates
Fruit Magic
To satisfy the craving of a friend who had asked her for a surprise, Cora prepared a magnificent fruit cup topped with her own special custard, with a bagel and cream cheese on the side. Seeing the platter as it passed, one client exclaimed "It's magic! Tell Cora that we love her handiwork!"
Récolte 90
We owe the creation of this surprising platter to Cora daughter, Gigi. Spotting a large brioche, she had the
idea of slicing it in half, dipping each half in the French toast batter, and toasting them on the griddle. She then topped one half with an egg and a few slices of bacon, and the other with a mountain of fresh fruit. Delectable! Proud of her daughter's initiative, Cora was moved to harvest the fruit of her efforts.
This was in 1990 and she named the platter 1990’s Harvest!
Buckwheat Blessing
Cora found the inspiration for Buckwheat Blessing after a visit to the States. In one restaurant, she saw an amazing plate of three large sausages rolled in pancakes and served with a variety of fruit sauces. Like a great magician, she transformed the dish into a more refined version: three sausages and Cheddar cheese tucked inside buckwheat crepes and topped with a lovely mountain of fresh fruit!
