If you can secure one of the highly coveted seats at Sabayon, you’ll be invited into a room and a kitchen where the menu is in constant motion, shaped by the seasons and the ingredients that come through the door from local producers and foragers. Here, Patrice Demers — our best pastry chef for the second consecutive year — works within a progression of amuses, savoury courses, desserts and mignardises, with a three-dessert tea service on weekends.
Born in Laval, Demers trained in cookery with tenures at Laloux, Les Chèvres and Les 400 Coups. With partner and sommelier Marie-Josée Beaudoin, he opened Patrice Pâtissier, a benchmark for seasonal desserts, earning Pastry Chef of the Year at Quebec’s inaugural Lauriers awards in 2018. After a residency at Fulgurances Laundromat in Brooklyn, the pair opened Sabayon in 2023. It has since earned its first Michelin star, with a New York pop-up at Lysée planned for May.
“Plates, for me, need to always be clear. No extra garnishes. I like a clean, minimalist approach,” Demers says. “At the same time, I like bright flavours and acidity. I like to surprise guests when they taste the dishes, not necessarily when they’re served.”
The result is pared-down plates built on peak-season fruit, with measured sweetness and melting textures. Sheep’s milk mousse with quince meets honey-caramelized brioche scented with wild caraway, while a reworked île flottante brings pistachio crème anglaise, steamed meringue and apple-herb granita. The signature maple and buckwheat financier is baked just before service. It arrives warm, crisp-edged and lightly salted, closing the meal.
“For us, hospitality is key. We’re not trying to put on a show or tell a story. We want guests to feel great, eat really well and drink great wine. We’re simply trying to share our passion for food.”
–Alana Lapierre
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