After working for ten years in the traditional catering business, a French chef launched his mobile restaurant concept and cross country to meet his clients and local flavours.
“I took ten years of my restoration and removed everything I didn’t like. I did what I wanted to think of in my cooking,” confirms Loïs Desfarges, owner of Loïs Bus.
After years of working as an assistant chef in Quebec, he was looking forward to being in more contact with clients. He also wanted to offer stress-free service and to choose every ingredient on the menu.
In March 2020, he bought a school bus and took six months to work converting it into a mobile restaurant equipped with a professional kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.
He did carpentry, electrical and plumbing work himself after watching “thousands and thousands” of videos.
The 26-year-old chef lives on the bus all year round, since the car is completely autonomous thanks to solar panels and adequate insulation for the winter.
He now travels to several regions such as Saguenay, Gaspésie and Estrie for agricultural producers or clients. It uses local and seasonal ingredients and welcomes groups into a hot bubble.
He currently works at Cité Agricole in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, where he has developed a menu using local ingredients such as squash and maple.
to change life
“At one point I was a little tired of working six to seven days a week for 70 hours a week and working in the basement. I wanted to travel and discover Quebec and have my own business,” explains the man who settled here six years ago.
Mr. Desfarges abandoned salary stability in favor of “quality of life”. He works for himself and can change his list as he pleases, in addition to communicating with his clients.
“I love it so much and it’s such a passion that I don’t feel like I’m working,” he says.
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