5 h 49 \u00e0 l\u2019h\u00f4tel ALT, Toronto
\nEnfin, enfin! Je reprends mes responsabilit\u00e9s de fondatrice en effectuant plusieurs visites de nos restaurants en sol ontarien. Je m\u2019y trouve avec quelques directeurs de l\u2019Entreprise et j\u2019en suis des plus heureuses. Revoir nos valeureux franchis\u00e9s me ravit compl\u00e8tement et cela me donne l\u2019occasion de rencontrer beaucoup de clients d\u00e9j\u00e0 attabl\u00e9s qui reconnaissent ma figure et qui insistent pour me serrer la pince. <\/p>\n
Comme dans le bon vieux temps, j\u2019insiste pour m\u2019assoir \u00e0 leur table quelques instants. Je m\u2019informe de leur famille et de leurs enfants et leur demande s\u2019ils aiment les nouveaux plats au menu. La plupart d\u2019entre eux insistent pour prendre une photo avec moi et j\u2019adore cette proximit\u00e9. \u00c0 chaque rapprochement, je remercie le ciel de cette courte intimit\u00e9 douce \u00e0 mon c\u0153ur et je me consid\u00e8re tr\u00e8s privil\u00e9gi\u00e9e d\u2019\u00eatre autant aim\u00e9e.<\/p>\n
35 ann\u00e9es tiss\u00e9es serr\u00e9es ont probablement quelque chose \u00e0 y voir ainsi que ma binette expos\u00e9e un peu partout, sur le grand menu, dans de jolis cadres accroch\u00e9s aux murs des restos et, tr\u00e8s souvent, sur le mat\u00e9riel publicitaire. Qu\u2019on ne puisse m\u2019oublier me garde joyeuse, vaillante et encore totalement incapable d\u2019imaginer mon envol vers une autre dimension.<\/p>\n
Nous avons d\u00fb prendre l\u2019immense oiseau d\u2019acier pour nous rendre en 58 minutes au centre de Toronto. Le temps de boire un caf\u00e9 et de feuilleter l\u2019horaire de nos d\u00e9placements et de nos activit\u00e9s des prochains jours. Nous devons marcher au pas. Pas une minute \u00e0 perdre, selon Fran\u00e7ois, le chef de l\u2019exp\u00e9dition. Sauf bien entendu pour les multiples interventions de madame la Fondatrice avec ses clients.<\/p>\n
N\u2019ayant point vol\u00e9 depuis presque trois ans, j\u2019ai oubli\u00e9 mes \u00e9couteurs Bose et pendant toute notre descente, mes oreilles ont dans\u00e9 la rumba. J\u2019avais beau brasser les petites marmites avec mon petit doigt, ma t\u00eate souffrait le martyre.<\/p>\n
\u00ab Faut souffrir pour r\u00e9ussir \u00bb, me dirait ma pauvre m\u00e8re si elle \u00e9tait encore de ce monde. Avec ses mains couvertes d\u2019ecz\u00e9ma, elle a eu son lot de souffrances et je suis certaine que c\u2019est elle, resplendissante de sant\u00e9, qui repasse les robes des anges au paradis. Oui, oui! Elle aimait repasser, m\u00eame lisser les plis des habits surdimensionn\u00e9s de son immense \u00e9poux.<\/p>\n
6 h 52
\nInstall\u00e9e pour \u00e9crire dans le grand hall de l\u2019h\u00f4tel, j\u2019ai soudainement l\u2019opportunit\u00e9 de piquer une jasette avec un compatriote du dala\u00ef-lama. Ce Tib\u00e9tain immigr\u00e9 au Canada depuis 30 ans, a le visage d\u2019un ange : calme, plat et souriant. Tel un moine en pri\u00e8re, il s\u2019affaire \u00e0 d\u00e9poussi\u00e9rer les tables basses du grand hall et \u00e0 replacer bien droit les multiples coussins sur les immenses divans. Lorsqu\u2019il s\u2019approche de la table haute sur laquelle j\u2019\u00e9cris, son visage s\u2019illumine et moi j\u2019ai l\u2019impression d\u2019\u00eatre une communiante attendant l\u2019hostie sacr\u00e9e. Son chaleureux BONJOUR s\u2019imprime sur ma figure et s\u2019ensuit une tr\u00e8s paisible conversation sur la vie, la gr\u00e2ce et le possible apaisement qui r\u00e9side en chacun de nous.<\/p>\n
Lorsque j\u2019ose mentionner l\u2019actuelle guerre dans les pays baltes, l\u2019homme m\u2019incite \u00e0 croire que c\u2019est dans notre c\u0153ur qu\u2019il faut construire la paix. Puis il reprend son plumeau tel un v\u00e9ritable objet de pri\u00e8re, et me salue en penchant la t\u00eate.<\/p>\n
Et voil\u00e0 que, \u00e0 cet instant pr\u00e9cis, les portes de l\u2019ascenseur s\u2019ouvrent sur la meute de mes coll\u00e8gues tous souriants qui zieutent la machine \u00e0 caf\u00e9. Ils se restaurent un brin et nous jasons ensemble des activit\u00e9s du jour. Nous quittons l\u2019h\u00f4tel vers notre prochaine destination : un restaurant ouvert depuis dix ans qui vient tout juste d\u2019\u00eatre r\u00e9nov\u00e9.<\/p>\n
Les franchis\u00e9s nous accueillent avec tr\u00e8s grand plaisir et fiert\u00e9. Ils sont toujours contents de nous voir. Surtout la fondatrice, \u00e7a se voit \u00e0 l\u2019\u0153il nu. Et moi, pour un instant, je deviens la personne la plus heureuse au monde; celle qui a cr\u00e9\u00e9 cet extraordinaire concept de restauration matinale. <\/p>\n
Apr\u00e8s avoir serr\u00e9 mille mains et m\u2019\u00eatre assise cent fois \u00e0 la table de clients enchant\u00e9s, je ratisse les murs, et tous les d\u00e9tails de la nouvelle r\u00e9novation. J\u2019ai moi-m\u00eame cr\u00e9\u00e9 plusieurs art\u00e9facts de la d\u00e9coration et j\u2019insiste pour qu\u2019ils soient mis en valeur, aux bons endroits, sur les bons murs. Les coll\u00e8gues m\u2019endurent; ils savent qu\u2019un tigre se cache sous la v\u00eature d\u2019un agneau. Ils savent aussi que je les aime tous, car ils sont exceptionnels. La plupart travaillent avec nous depuis toujours; ils font partie de la famille.<\/p>\n
19 h 32 \u00e0 l\u2019a\u00e9roport
\nCahin-caha, je pianote sur l\u2019iPad, instable sur mes cuisses. Notre vol de 20 h est retard\u00e9 de 30 minutes. Attendant l\u2019arriv\u00e9e de l\u2019oiseau g\u00e9ant, les coll\u00e8gues parlotent de tout et de rien. Ils sont satisfaits du travail accompli \u00e0 Toronto. Et ils ont h\u00e2te de rentrer chacun chez eux. Demain matin, la plupart d\u2019entre eux, avec leurs enfants, participeront \u00e0 une s\u00e9ance de photos annon\u00e7ant un nouvel \u00e9v\u00e9nement promotionnel et je ferai bien \u00e9videmment partie du groupe. <\/p>\n
La restauration n\u2019est pas un m\u00e9tier de tout repos. Nous le savons depuis 35 ans. Nous adorons enseigner notre expertise, partager notre passion avec nos franchis\u00e9s et faire plaisir \u00e0 nos pr\u00e9cieux clients.<\/p>\n
Cora
\n\ud83d\udc11<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
5 h 49 \u00e0 l\u2019h\u00f4tel ALT, Toronto Enfin, enfin! Je reprends mes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":414,"featured_media":15699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lettre-mme-cora"],"acf":{"img_en":"","contenu_en":"5:49 a.m. at the ALT Hotel, Toronto\r\nFinally! I am able to return and fulfill my duties as the Founder of Cora restaurants, which today can be found from coast to coast. I am in Toronto to visit our locations in Ontario. I\u2019m just so happy to be here, accompanied by a few company directors. I am delighted to see our wonderful franchisees in their restaurant once again. It also gives me a chance to greet the customers who recognize me and stop to shake my hand.\r\n\r\nJust like in the old days, I take a few minutes to sit with them at their table and inquire after their family, their children and if they like the new dishes we\u2019ve added to the menu. Most of them insist on taking a selfie with me, and I love the closeness! I thank the stars for this brief moment of interaction every time it happens. It\u2019s such a precious connection for me; I consider myself extremely privileged to be so loved.\r\n\r\nThirty-five years of being immersed in the business probably has something to do with it. My face is all over the place: printed on the menu, framed on the walls and featured countless times in different ads. Knowing that I am not forgotten makes me happy. It gives me the push I need to keep going and reminds me that I still can\u2019t imagine departing for another dimension.\r\n\r\nSpeaking of departures, I boarded a big steel bird to travel from Montreal to downtown Toronto. All it took was 58 minutes \u2013 just enough time to drink my coffee and go over the itinerary of our restaurant visits and activities for the next few days. We\u2019ll need to keep a steady pace; there\u2019s not a minute to spare, according to Fran\u00e7ois, the trip\u2019s leader. Except, of course, for the many serendipitous stops for the Founder to meet her customers.\r\n\r\nI haven\u2019t flown in nearly three years. I forgot my Bose headphones, and my ears were popping during the entire descent. I pressed and pulled on my ears and tried yawning; my poor head suffered.\r\n\r\n\u201cOne has to suffer to succeed,\u201d my mother would say if she were still among us, with her hands permanently covered in eczema. She suffered terribly, and I am certain that she\u2019s now the picture of health, busily ironing the angels\u2019 robes in paradise. Honestly, nobody loved to iron like she did! She delighted in smoothing out the wrinkles of her husband\u2019s extra-large clothes.\r\n\r\n6:52 a.m.\r\nSeated in the hotel lobby, I unexpectedly get the chance to converse with a man with a face as calm, smooth and radiant as an angel\u2019s. He immigrated to Canada 30 years ago from the Dalai Lama\u2019s home country. Focused like a monk in prayer, he is busy dusting the coffee tables in the lobby and replacing the many cushions on the enormous sofas in the hall. His face breaks into a smile as he gets closer to the cocktail table where I\u2019m sitting; I feel like a worshiper waiting for the holy host. His huge smile and heartfelt HELLO light up my face and a very agreeable conversation about life, grace and the potential serenity that resides in each one of us unfolds.\r\n\r\nWhen I boldly mention the ongoing war in Ukraine, the angelic man urges me to believe that we have to build peace within our hearts. Picking up his feather duster as if it were a sacred object, he bows his head and leaves.\r\n\r\nAt that exact moment, the elevator doors open and release my flock of colleagues, who are all smiles. They look for the coffee machine and take a moment to enjoy their beverage as we discuss the day\u2019s activities. We leave the hotel for our next destination: a recently renovated restaurant that has been open for 10 years.\r\n\r\nThe franchisees greet us with much enthusiasm and pride. They are always delighted to see us, especially the Founder; you can see it in their eyes. And for just one moment, I become the world\u2019s happiest person: the one who created this extraordinary breakfast restaurant concept.\r\n\r\nAfter shaking countless hands and sitting down numerous times at customers\u2019 tables, I look up and down the walls, taking in each detail of the renovation. I created a few d\u00e9cor items myself and I insisted that they be displayed in the right place on the right walls. My colleagues put up with me; they know there\u2019s a wolf hiding under sheep\u2019s clothing. Most of them have been with the company for many years and are part of the family.\r\n\r\n7:32 p.m. at the airport\r\nI type away on my iPad precariously placed on my lap. Our 8 p.m. flight has been delayed by 30 minutes. My colleagues talk about this and that while they wait for the giant bird to arrive at the gate. They are satisfied with the work they accomplished in the Greater Toronto Area. They can\u2019t wait to be home again. Tomorrow morning, some of them will be joining me at the head office with their children for a photo shoot to announce a special event.\r\n\r\nThe restaurant business is not an easy one. A reality we have known first-hand for 35 years. We love sharing our expertise and passion with our franchisees, along with a desire to delight our customers.\r\n\r\nCora\r\n\ud83d\udc11"},"yoast_head":"\n