The Final Course: Celebrating Patrick Saurette’s Remarkable Career

As legendary Edmonton restaurateur Patrick Saurette retires and the iconic The Marc Restaurant enters a new chapter, we reflect on his remarkable journey and the lasting impact he has made on the city’s culinary
landscape. Patrick, along with his wife Doris, has been the heart and soul of The Marc, an establishment renowned for its exceptional food, warm hospitality, and unwavering dedication to excellence. As Patrick
embarks on a well-deserved retirement, we take this opportunity to share personal memories and extend our heartfelt thanks and best wishes to a true pillar of our community.

Photo attribution: Material republished with the express permission of Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

“I first met Patrick at Il Portico, where he was the general manager and part owner of this iconic Edmonton Italian restaurant. Then, in 2009, when the Restaurants Canada Board was seeking an independent Edmonton restaurateur to join, former Director Barry Arndt suggested Patrick as a good fit. It did not take long for me to understand why his colleagues thought so highly of him, and I was pleased that he was interested in joining our Board.

Soon after Patrick was elected to the Restaurants Canada Board of Directors, he informed us that Il Portico was closing and that he and his wife, Doris, were planning to open their own restaurant near the old Il Portico location. The Marc quickly became a popular Edmonton eatery and was recognized as an award-winning bistro, featuring great food and outstanding personal service. The restaurant attracted Edmonton’s business leaders, government employees and political leaders from all parties, as it was close to the Alberta legislature and ministry buildings.

Patrick and Doris exemplified what it means to be hands-on, independent restaurateurs committed to excellent food, wine and service—they are Mr. and Mrs. Hospitality. They worked hard, always warmly greeted guests, and delivered the kind of personal service Patrick was known for. They also had a great relationship with their staff and suppliers and contributed significantly to the Edmonton community. Pretty much every visit to Edmonton, I always made a point of dining at The Marc and got to know Patrick and Doris well.

Patrick accompanied me to numerous meetings with government officials during his many years as a volunteer on the Restaurants Canada Board and reached out to his many Alberta restaurateur colleagues in support of our policy positions. Eventually, he served on the Restaurants Canada Executive Committee and became Board Chair. He also played a key role and was the local public face of our very successful “Alberta Restaurant Realities” campaign leading up to the 2019 Alberta election. This took incredible courage, as most restaurateurs were hesitant to delve into political policy discussions for fear of offending some guests.

Patrick understood there might be some guest backlash, he did it anyway to help Alberta’s restaurant industry. It is a testament to his character and leadership that, throughout the Alberta Restaurant Realities campaign, he maintained the respect of the media, his restaurant industry colleagues and politicians of all stripes.

I last visited Patrick and Doris in April, just before the sale of The Marc, and wished them all the best for their well-deserved retirement plans. Patrick and Doris will be remembered as kind, compassionate and generous icons of the Edmonton restaurant industry. Restaurants Canada is grateful to Patrick for his many years of service on the Board of Directors and as Chair during a tumultuous time in Alberta politics. His contributions led to the implementation of many of our campaign policy recommendations, which significantly benefited Alberta’s restaurant industry.
We wish him and Doris a very well-deserved retirement!

        – Mark von Schellwitz, Vice President, Western Canada, Restaurants Canada

“What can I say about Patrick Saurette? Shortly after settling in Edmonton, I was dating a girl. She loved food and the industry as much as I. She told me we absolutely had to dine at Il Portico. Being new to the city I hadn’t heard much about the place, but she convinced me to pay them a visit. Over twenty years later as I look back on that visit, I can’t recall much about the meal, except that it was quite good. What I do remember was the impression that Patrick and his entire team left on me. It was one of the very first times I felt like a guest in someone’s home, rather than a customer in a business. I don’t imagine he recalls my visit, as I was a young cook, definitely unknown at the time, but we were made to feel special, regardless of clothes we wore, the watch on our wrist or the bottle of wine we ordered. That experience stayed with me, and it’s a reminder of the type of hospitality I want to provide for my guests, each and every night.

But Patrick was more than that. Throughout his time in the industry, he was a pillar in the community, supporting countless organizations whenever asked. He committed to being a voice for the independent restaurant owner and stuck his neck out on more than one occasion. Over the years we got to know each other as peers. He was an ear when I ventured out on my own, offering advice, support, guidance and words of wisdom when he was called upon. Somehow, I always felt a little better about things after a visit with Patrick. He had that way about him.

As he embarks on this next chapter of life I want to thank him for paving the way for the rest of us, and let him know that his impact on our community won’t soon be forgotten.”

– Chef Paul Shufelt, Chef and proprietor of
@workshopeatery
@woodshedburgers
@hayloftsteakfish and
@thegreenhouseyeg

“I met Patrick many years ago while I was a guest at Il Portico. He was the best host I had ever seen and, later on when I got to work with him at Restaurants Canada, I realized his calm demeanour and warm hospitality wasn’t just the way he operated his restaurant, but the way he treats everyone in his daily routine.

He is the consummate hospitality professional and makes us all remember what we aspired to be in this industry!!! It was a pleasure to work with Patrick and to learn from him. I wish him all the luck in all of his future endeavours.”

– Mo Blayways, President and owner-operator, 1st RND and BRBN Street

“Many years ago, a true story, I was invited for lunch at Claude’s restaurant to celebrate a special occasion. We were fortunate to be seated at “Patrick’s table.” I must confess that I do not remember anything about their exquisite cuisine; however, what is still vivid in my thoughts is this young man and his interaction with genuine care and respect for his customers.

He would go beyond standard scripts to engage with customers as unique individuals—even a simple act like remembering a regular’s name, their favorite order, where they like to sit, makes all the difference. He would punctuate each visit to customer tables with pauses for laughter, greetings, and anecdotes, all exchanged with an air of familiar warmth, and every guest was cherished as a long-lost relative in Patrick’s world. Today, such things are legends of a day long forgotten. His vision was not merely about exquisite cuisine, but about an experience steeped in genuine respect and individuality.

During lunch I observed Patrick… He taught me the true soul of the hospitality business—to serve, connect and celebrate life’s moments, big and small. He taught me the art of sincere and loving hospitality, where the customer was the most important person for a business—one respected, loved, adored and cherished.

For the past 45 years I have tried to embrace Patrick’s world in my own family business. It was not an overnight process, but a journey of continuous growth and improvement and one that our families will continue in the future.”

–Carmelo Rago, President, Sorrentino’s Restaurant Group

“Patrick was our mentor in the Edmonton restaurant industry.  

He was the consummate host who always executed at the very highest level in his restaurant! He passionately committed to representing all of us for the benefit of our industry—greatly respected by all. Truly a wonderful guy!!!”

–Barry Arndt, Chair, ZZA Hospitality Group

‘Patrick Saurette has to be one of the most professional, inspirational and influential business owners I have come across in my career.  From the first moment you hear his booming, charming voice, to when you see the tall man with silver hair, you feel taken care of and heard, and you can trust that he knows exactly what he is doing. 

He has been a voice of reason and leadership in the hospitality industry and is known for his commitment to quality and his exemplary treatment of his staff, his contemporaries in the industry and his customers. He is a true supporter of using local suppliers and farmers and has a strong commitment to quality food, wine and service.

He has inspired me (and many others) to become a stronger voice for our industry to government, media and most importantly for my staff and others in the restaurant industry. Patrick will be truly missed as a representative of Alberta for Restaurants Canada, as well as a professional in the Alberta hospitality industry.”

–Leslie Echino, Owner & Operator, Annabelle’s Kitchen and Bar Annabelle