It had been a long-time dream of Adam Monette’s to open a restaurant.
The former BFA culinary instructor was able to bring his dream to life this past summer, when he opened Cafe Monette in the long-vacant building at the corner of Congress and Main streets in Saint Albans. However, it was not an easy process, as Monette noted during a recent interview with The Mercury.
“One of the biggest challenges was lining up funds to make things happen,” he stated. He also mentioned that working on a budget and the timeline of it all presented challenges, but in the end, the result is a nationally-recognized culinary destination that brings guests from not only Franklin County, but from other areas as well.
“A lot of our guests are from other areas outside of Franklin County, like Chittenden County and Montreal,” noted Chef Monette.
Winning Season 8 of the Food Network show, Holiday Baking Championship, was a game-changer for him: “If I hadn’t won it, I probably wouldn’t have been able to [open a restaurant].”
Monette described the experience of being on Holiday Baking Championship as “surreal” and made mention that he never actually applied to be on it, stating that, “[Former culinary student] Tyler gave them my name” and he did not find out until a week prior to filming that he would be on the show. He said that he was on set from 8 A.M. until 10 P.M. and that it was a whirlwind experience, from concocting pastries in limited time to being transported to and from the hotel that he was staying at. Overall, though, Monette said his experience on Holiday Baking Championship “opened up doors” to possibilities in his career, and he enjoyed meeting the judges, who he said were fantastic.
Although cooking had always been a passion of his and something he did on the side, he said that he initially got his start in construction, working for his father as a carpenter. Opening a restaurant was a “longtime in the making” and something that was “always in the back of [his] mind”, and Monette stated that he was working on opening Cafe Monette while he was still teaching at BFA. Although there were several other spaces he was looking at to open an eatery in, including in Alburgh and Stowe, he said Saint Albans was ideal for starting Cafe Monette due to his roots in the area. Both of his daughters attend local schools, and Monette himself lives mere minutes away from the restaurant, making for a short commute.
According to Monette, there are many similarities between operating a restaurant and teaching culinary at BFA, in that he is still “working to inspire”, but noted several differences, the most prevalent being the work hours. While working at BFA, he taught for only five hours in a day, but owning a restaurant is something that requires more time commitment, with Sundays being Monette’s only day off. And even then, he said he is still managing aspects of the cafe. Also, he stated that there is a “larger emphasis on getting it right with owning a restaurant.” Still, he said the restaurant industry has been going well thus far, and acknowledged that while he cannot please everyone, he accepts this and stays true to himself. He says that his approach to both owning a restaurant and life is to “believe in it and just do it.”
“Authenticity is the most important thing [about owning a restaurant],” he said, while also saying that he is in “complete control of [his] own future.”
When asked what the most surprising aspect of owning a restaurant has been, Monette responded, “The biggest surprise is the success of the restaurant and the response from the community.”
As far as the menu goes, Monette described it as “inspirational” and noted that it changes often, depending on what is in season and what he has the desire to prepare: “The most interesting thing is that there is always something new to make. I enjoy scratching the surface of what’s possible.”
Monette also emphasized the need for there to be an outlet to apply skills to. “One thing is obtaining skills, and second is having a place to apply them.” He said that while there is not currently a culinary training school in Vermont, he hopes to open one in the space above his restaurant. “The transmission of knowledge on cooking is lost if it’s not shared,” he stated. “There has to be a pathway, and if there’s not, the training is not viable.”
To close, Monette gave this piece of advice for those hoping to open a restaurant: “Really evaluate what you want to do with the space, surround yourself with good people, and have a plan.” He also noted, “If you can’t find the growth from repetition, it’s probably not for you.” However, he would encourage anyone with the passion to open their own restaurant, saying that it is never too late and that, “If you have this direction or ability to do it, do it.”
