In the fall of 2021, we went to Halifax to make a video about the top things to do in the city. During our visit, some locals recommended we eat dinner at
Le Bistro by Liz, which is highly ranked on TripAdvisor as well. Not only was the food great but Liz was there to meet us and was kind enough to share her story. We thought it was such a great story of how someone who once worked for a restaurant and loved it so much, ended up buying it and making it better.
If we remember correctly, you went from waitressing to owning the restaurant. How did that happen?
I got my love of the food and beverage industry from my parents who always took our family out to dine in great Halifax restaurants. The smells and warm wonderful atmospheres and the people I met resonate with me always. I had worked in food and beverage to put myself through University but while studying in Nursing school, I decided to change paths and follow my love for food and beverage. Over the next few years, I held various positions in hotels and independent restaurants all over Halifax. After a number of management positions, I started waitressing at Le Bistro Cafe in the early 90's, eventually became the manager, and then left in the year 2000 when new owners took over and did not have the same love of people and service that I did. Moving on, I did consulting work and sales positions with hotels but never lost my love of Le Bistro.
What changes did you make at the restaurant for it to become what it is today?
In 2008, just for fun, I searched joint stocks to see if the name Le Bistro was available and it was. So in 2011, I opened Le Bistro By Liz. It was not an easy task. Revenue Canada had a lean on the assets, it took 17 months to negotiate the lease, and we had start with nothing except holes in our kitchen walls and no suppliers, furniture, or equipment. With the help of friends and family we were able to open Le Bistro on December 1st, 2011. We had to totally renovate the space from top to bottom and breathe new life into this beloved bistro. For the menu, we recreated some of the old favourites from the original Le Bistro Cafe and built an amazing menu around these.
Your restaurant was recommended to us by many locals and is one of the top-rated in Halifax. What do you think makes it stand out?
One of the most challenging things was to find and hire a team that loved people and service as much as I do. You can teach the service industry but you can not teach the loving attitude and patience from within that is needed to be an exceptional food and beverage person. I absolutely believe that our team is what separates us from other restaurants . When someone comes into Le Bistro, the warm welcome and accommodating attitude is what people need and get. Our team offers more than just a meal. It feeds the soul. Many of our guests are regulars and feel like part of the family.
For people visiting Halifax, what would you tell them to not miss?
I love our public gardens and all the flowers and swans. It's a great place for a walk. Everyone should take a fabulous stroll along with Halifax boardwalk and maybe take a ride on one of the sail boats or on the Harbour Hopper. Alexander Keith's brewery Tour is fun and the staff dress up in period costumes. Lastly, I'd also recommend a concert at the Rebecca Cohn or a fabulous play at the Neptune Theatre.
