Brasserie L’Ecole
Victoria, BC
Shawn Soole partnered with Brasserie L’Ecole to strengthen the operational backbone behind one of Victoria’s most respected French brasseries, ensuring its timeless identity is supported by modern systems, disciplined cost controls, and a refined beverage program. Working closely with ownership and management, he aligned menu design, inventory management, and cocktail execution with the realities of today’s labour, pricing, and guest expectations—preserving the brasserie’s classic soul while enhancing profitability, clarity, and consistency. Through strategic refinements rather than reinvention, Brasserie L’Ecole is positioned to operate with greater precision while remaining unmistakably itself.
SERVICES RENDERED
Menu Costing & Profitability Alignment
Conducted a full review of food and beverage costings to ensure menu pricing, portioning, and product mix align with target margins—refined costing models to support sustainable profitability while respecting the brasserie’s value perception and classic approach.
Inventory Systems & Controls
Implemented more precise inventory tracking, ordering cadence, and par-level systems across wine, spirits, and bar consumables. Introduced structure to reduce variance, control waste, and improve accountability without overcomplicating daily operations.
Cocktail Program Refinement
Refined the cocktail program to better reflect the brasserie’s French identity—focusing on classics, low-intervention technique, and elegant simplicity—improved recipe consistency, batching logic, and costing discipline to support speed of service and margin control.
Menu Structure & Beverage Integration
Advised on how cocktails, wine, and beer are positioned within the menu to improve readability, decision-making, and attachment rates. Ensured the beverage program complements the food offering rather than competing with it.
Brand Refresh & Program Cohesion
Supported subtle brand refresh considerations—language, menu tone, and visual hierarchy—ensuring Brasserie L’Ecole’s identity feels intentional, current, and cohesive without sacrificing its established reputation or loyal guest base.
