The Main Course: Court Desautels
Impressive is a word that could be used to describe both Court himself, and many of the main course dishes offered at his restaurants. We would argue that he deserves even higher praise than the popular “Venison and Nettle Gouda Burger” found at Miijidaa Café and Bistro, one of four restaurants Court currently owns and operates.
With many years working in the restaurant and hospitality industry – alongside a couple other jobs like spinning discs as a DJ – Court has become widely known for his creative thinking, passion for sustainability and big picture ideas. He is always on the lookout for continuous improvement opportunities and is redefining business success as he goes.
Court is currently the president of the Neighbourhood Group of Companies, an organization based in Guelph, ON that includes Borealis Bar and Grille, Mijidaa Café and Bistro and the Woolwich Arrow (aka The Wooly). More than just championing local food and farmers by crafting locally sourced menus, Court’s restaurants are built on a foundation of sustainable business practices that seek to support the environment, the community and the employees working hard to support their mission and values. These initiatives, and much more, have allowed them to become officially B Corp Certified since 2016. For more information on Court and his restaurants as well as B Corporations, please click on the following links:
http://www.neighbourhoodgroup.com
With all that being said, it’s safe to say that Bruce and I were eager to sit down with Court and dive into conversation. After some pleasant catch-up, we sat down with a bottle of Norman Hardie Chardonnay and began discussing various topics such as tipping, B Corps and of course, the idea of having One House. Court’s passion and enthusiasm is clear, you may even notice him punctuating his points with some thumps on the table! Please take a listen to the audio clip below, we promise it will be well worth your time!
University of Guelph Sustainable Restaurant Project 