Working in the food service industry is a physically and emotionally taxing job. To stick around for 38 years you have to have a passion for it, says new local chef.

The executive chef at Bryson’s Bistro Du Bucheron, Peter Ilias, was hired three months ago to help revitalize the restaurant in hopes of bringing in more customers.

Choosing to slow down from running 255 chain restaurants at a time, Ilias came across this opportunity to be able to continue to do what he loves but on a smaller scale. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. I’m what you call a dinosaur. Not too many of us last that long,” said Ilias.

Growing up in Montreal in a Greek household in the 70s and 80s you either went to work in the factories with your family or went into the food service industry with your family. When he initially went into it, it was because all his family members did at the time, but rather than going the traditional route and cooking Greek food, he diverged into fusion/ contemporary new-age cooking.

After high school, he went straight to cooking school in Montreal, San Francisco, and New York. He was lucky as a graduate to get into the workforce right away and was able to land different contracts, he said. In his 38 years in the industry, he has opened up 76 restaurants and about a dozen reception halls. He has also redesigned and created menus for about 120 establishments and taught and trained along the way.

From a very young age, he knew going into this industry he never wanted to pigeonhole himself to one style or one way of cooking and, for him, that’s why he loves cooking as it has allowed him to be creative and challenge himself.

“It’s something that I really have a passion for. For me, this isn’t a job. This is a passion. I like cooking and I love feeding people,” he said.

To get in the groove, Ilias blasts his music in the kitchen and from that point on he’s unstoppable. But listen closely because the music he’s listening to tells you what mood he’s in.

“In the morning when it’s breakfast time I have all the nice soft ballads, during the day it’s gonna be a lot of rock and roll, and at nighttime when I’m really in the rush there’s a lot of heavy metal,” he said adding that if you hear Greek music in the kitchen, it means he’s in a bad mood. “When I’m a little upset with something Greek music brings me back to reality but during that time, don’t talk to me.”

In his career, Ilias hasn’t ran or owned any traditional Greek food restaurants but what he’s implemented from his culture is the importance of creating distinguishable flavours and using spices and herbs to create a unique dish, he said. If there were three items on the plate, they all had their own unique taste, because his goal was to have people come back for that plate and for it to be a memorable experience. That’s what he hopes to do at the bistro.

After being a chef for 38 years and working around the clock, Ilias wanted a change of pace and when he was headhunted for this position he thought why not. “I just wanted something peaceful. So when this opportunity came up, I came down here, I checked out the community, beautiful community. I talked to a lot of people, amazing people. And I said, ‘Okay, let’s go. Let’s give it a try.’”

In addition to running the restaurant five days a week, he also runs a consulting business in Montreal. It is contract work where his team and himself create menus for different restaurants, where they prepare and create recipes that are later handed to the cook to make, rather than having an in-house chef, which can be costly for smaller restaurants, he said.

“This industry is very fickle, a lot of people keep the same menu for a long time and people get bored of it. If you don’t get creative and change up your menu once in a while you’re gonna die,” said Ilias.

At the Bistro, Ilias has a team of four chefs and depending if there is a wedding or an event the number goes up to 10 people working with him at a time. Getting this job he’s had full control over the menu and given the old barn aesthetic. “The space screamed steak house,” he said. Given there isn’t a steak house for miles in the Pontiac, this felt like the right choice.

Customers can expect 40-day aged steak, different kinds of pasta, and fish dishes. His favourite thing to make and is also on the menu is his baby back ribs, which he’s confident if put in a contest would win. “If you dropped the plate from two inches off the table. The bones are going to fall off, very tender,” he said.

One thing he can stand by is their unbeatable prices, he said. “Nobody can touch our prices when it comes to that quality. We’re not here to take the customer’s money, we’re here to earn our money. There’s a difference,” he said.

Over the years he has had a few run-ins with celebrities, one notable moment was making Celine Dion’s dessert at her wedding, he said.

When asked what one of his career highlights was he said it was hard to name just one but said seeing the restaurants he created and worked with still running after 25/30 years meant he was doing something right and that’s something he’s grateful for.

“The people that hire me have a lot of faith in what I can do. But you know the proof is in the pudding. So I’m not all talk, I can show you.”

His motto is: “never trust a skinny chef,” he said with a grin.

For him, this opportunity is not a jumping-off point rather it’s a settling point. He plans on retiring after this and opening up a small Café somewhere to keep himself busy. But for now, his focus is to get more people in the door.

His goals for the bistro are to make sure it is packed every night, and that people from all over the city come to try their food. He wants it to become a destination restaurant. The best form of advertising is a happy customer because they will tell 10 other people who will tell more, he said.

“Patience and consistency.”

Some of the things they are introducing are themed nights and a 13-item lunch menu with each item costing $13. And as the leaves start to change customers can also expect his menu to add hardier veggies, soups and stews.

Ilias encourages feedback and wants to hear from the community. He’s open to providing cooking classes, catering, and whatever people need.

“I want them to challenge me. Come in and try the food. Tell me what you like what you don’t like I’ll make it for you,” he said.

The restaurant is open Wednesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.