Investing in Bold Ideas that build the Future
Born in the South of France to a family deeply rooted in the culinary world, Yannick Bigourdan has built a distinguished career as a restaurateur and hospitality entrepreneur in Toronto. Trained in Europe and a graduate with honours from the Swiss Hotel School of Lausanne, he began his career with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, holding senior leadership roles in Los Angeles and Toronto, including Director of Restaurants and Bars.
In 2001, Yannick co-acquired Splendido, which became one of Canada’s most celebrated restaurants, earning multiple national accolades. He later founded Nota Bene, named Best New Restaurant by both Toronto Life and Air Canada enRoute. In 2013, he opened The Carbon Bar, now a Toronto institution and a leader in premium BBQ dining.
In 2021, The Carbon Bar expanded into consumer packaged goods, later evolving into Shop The Carbon Bar, a growing e-commerce platform. Building on this momentum, Yannick founded Slice Baby Slice in 2023, operating out of a 9,000 sq. ft. commissary kitchen in East York. The business combines retail and wholesale production, e-commerce, and catering, specializing in premium sauces, spices, and BBQ frozen ready-to-eat meals, with 80+ SKUs delivered across Southern Ontario. Slice Baby Slice is also home to The Social Catering & Co., a trusted partner for institutions including the Canadian Opera Company, Union Station, Second Harvest, and Allied Properties.
That same year, Yannick opened Lucie, a refined French fine-dining restaurant in Toronto’s financial district, named in honour of his grandmother and recommended by the Michelin Guide.
In 2025, Yannick expanded at King and Spadina with the opening of The Carbon Snack Bar, a fast-casual, chef-driven concept, and TheSocial460, a purpose-built event space offering fully integrated food, beverage, and event programming. In January 2026, Amano Trattoria was reintroduced as Notte Ristorante, and the group continues to grow The Berczy Tavern, a dynamic downtown restaurant and piano bar.
Recognized for his contributions to the industry, Yannick is the recipient of the Ontario Hostelry Institute Gold Award for Independent Restaurateur. In 2026, he is launching KLTY Restaurant Consulting, offering strategic advisory services and practical masterclasses for hospitality professionals and operators.
Brands
Lucie
Michelin recommended Lucie was created as an intimate French gastronomic destination in Toronto’s Financial District.
Inspired by French heritage and culinary artistry, the concept focuses
on precision, storytelling, and emotional dining experiences.
It demonstrates Yannick’s strength in luxury positioning,
fine-dining systems, & high-touch hospitality development.
The Carbon Bar
The Carbon Bar introduced Toronto to a new category: chef-driven barbecue built with fine-dining technique. The brand fused authentic low-and-slow smoking with polished design, strong storytelling, &
urban positioning. It has since grown into a flagship concept, known
for brand clarity, menu innovation, & the ability to evolve
beyond a single restaurant.
Slice Baby Slice
Slice Baby Slice was developed to extend The Carbon Bar beyond restaurants and into retail and wholesale. The brand translates restaurant flavors into scalable consumer products, including sauces, rubs, and ready-to-eat items. It reflects Yannick’s expertise in turning hospitality concepts into commercially viable food brands.
The Carbon Snack Bar
The Carbon Snack Bar was created to adapt a premium restaurant brand into a fast-casual, high-volume environment. The concept focuses on speed, accessibility, and consistency while maintaining strong food identity. It showcases how a refined culinary vision can be re-engineered for everyday urban dining and multi-location growth.
The Social Catering & Co.
The Social Catering & Co. was built to deliver restaurant-level food and service at institutional and large-scale event levels. The brand supports major cultural and corporate partners while maintaining a refined culinary identity. It highlights Yannick’s expertise in operational scale, logistics, and premium off-site hospitality.
The social 460
The Social 460 was developed as a premium, design-forward event venue supported by professional hospitality infrastructure. The space was conceived to host everything from weddings and corporate events to brand activations and cultural programming. It reflects an integrated approach to venue strategy, experience design, & revenue diversification.
The Berczy Tavern
The Berczy Tavern was developed to reintroduce modern tavern culture into Toronto’s historic core. The concept blends elevated food and beverage programs with the social energy of a true neighborhood gathering place. It reflects a strategic approach to location-driven branding, guest flow, and experiential design.
Notte Ristorante
Formerly Amano Trattoria, Notte Ristorante was shaped into a soulful, ingredient-driven Italian concept centered on warmth, craft, & community. The brand emphasizes simplicity done well, with a strong neighborhood presence and thoughtful hospitality design. It represents Yannick’s ability to refine existing restaurants into focused, emotionally resonant brands.
Splendido (2001–2009)
Splendido marked Yannick’s first major concept in Toronto, built to introduce true European fine-dining standards to the city. The restaurant became known for its classical French technique, refined service culture, and uncompromising approach to quality. It helped set a new benchmark for luxury hospitality in Toronto and laid the foundation for many of the principles that now guide his consulting work.
Nota Bene (2008–2014)
Nota Bene was created to modernize upscale dining for Toronto’s fast-growing downtown audience. It blended chef-driven cuisine with a more approachable, high-energy format, proving that sophisticated food could scale without losing integrity. The concept demonstrated Yannick’s ability to balance culinary excellence, operational volume,
& broad market appeal.
Whether launching a restaurant, repositioning an existing brand, or developing a multi-unit concept, Yannick offers 360° expertise across the hospitality ecosystem.
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