I woke up one Sunday morning with a mad compulsion to have one of Moisson/Monkland's freshly baked baguettes.
I knew the chefs report for duty at 3 am, roll up their sleeves (actually, have you ever seen chefs roll up their sleeves!) and start their day baking humungus amounts of different breads and another humungus amounts of viennoiserie.
At 7 am when Moisson's doors open, the chefs are ready.
But this was Sunday. i could be relaxed. I got to Moisson at a leisurely 10 am , and my heart sank right into my stomach.
There in front of the display counters was a thick crowd of people - customers lined up ready to buy.
"Oh God, I've got a 15 minute wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Before I knew it a voice from behind the counter said with a big smile."Can I help you."
I couldn't believe it. I only had to wait 3 minutes! Would you believe 3 minutes?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had forgotten about Moisson's secret weapon.
The people who serve the people who buy.
The secret weapon that keeps the throngs poring in.
If you had come in a few moments before the crowd, you might have seen a few of the young servers dressed in black chatting comfortably.
The moment the crowd of people buyers throng in, all of a sudden an "army" of black spreads out behind the counters at the speed of lighting.
The magic? The moment you have one of the army in front of you, they are all smiles, and perfectly still. Completely attentive to your every needs.
The smile says it. The body language says it. "Take your time. I'm all yours!"
What makes the servers act the way we do with no boss or manager cracking the whip and barking orders?
The owner of the Monkland Moisson franchise, Benoit Nolan, says it very simply.
"We don't hire experience. Experience they will get fast enough on the job. What we hire is a deep seated drive to give service....and with a smile that comes easily."
How else can you explain the people behind the counter who spontaneously take on the responsibility of resetting the presentation of the bread and the viennoiserie, the moment they notice temporary disorder created by serving a crowd ravenous to buy them at a ferocious speed!.
Nobody tells them.
At 12 noon, there's a different crowd. The people who hit the lunch displays
I took one look at the crowd and counter and called my daughter. "If you're free, why not join me for lunch at Moisson."
Who can refuse a free lunch! She came, and loaded her tray with her favorites: soup with the pieces of vegetables and meat jostling each other. And an open faced smoked salmon sandwich. I have my favorite:. The vegetarian Lasagna basking in a luxurious red sauce.
"We could do takeout but let's enjoy ourselves and eat in Moisson's cafe area."
My daughter wasn't too enamored about eating in a patisserie's eating area.
"Mom you know what a disaster it usually is - a bunch of tables stuck in the middle of the patisserie
and no one talks to each other... one of the world's great bores. We're better off with take out
and eating at home."
But I insisted. Reluctantly she followed me into the section of Moisson separated from the
food displays.
The moment she was in it she was hooked! The part of Moisson reserved for the sitting crowds
is sheer brilliance.
Unlike most bakery shops with sit-down tables and chairs, Moisson has used a service stand alone
to create the feeling of a generous "sitting area" but separate from the food display shelves.
Creating a feeling of intimacy.
Lots of tables but no feeling of being squished into somebody else' space. There was a captivating buzz working like an undercover current in the section.
Very much like the buzz what we used to experience at our favorite restaurant, Chez Leveque where we used to go frequently.
The food was great, the service was great, so all that people had to concentrate on was their animated conversation. And that was the buzz that hovered in the air in the eating section of Moisson on Monkland.
In one corner friends lost in an animated conversation, In another a comfort zone for the person sitting alone and yet, sharing by osmosis the animated atmosphere.
Old friends enjoying their time together
Mother and daughter deeply involved.
Let alone the mother of the young 2-year old who needs that time just for herself to enjoy a precious moment with her toddler.
I
I convinced my daughter to make room for one of the great delicacies in the whole world.
A millefeuille in Moisson's pastry display
The pastries are delivered early morning unbroken on trays from the Moisson head kitchen in Valois, and cut into pieces by the serving staff in between the crowd crunches.
I finally gave in and had a mille feuille - reminiscent of my days spending all my lawyer income - after rent money - on food at Gibby restaurant. (My law office was on top of Gibby in a courtyard in Old Montreal)
Alas, I accepted my fate. I would never have a mille feuille as magnificent as the one i had at Gibby's. I never did again...........until...... I had the mille feuille at Moisson Monkland!!
And just to make sure the crowd doesn't get bored seeing seeing the same-old stuff for sale, every few weeks there's a new display of a mass of edible products like the mass available for Easter.
A great success visually. An even greater success in sales!
In the final analysis, if a business is flourishing, chances are there is one element that drives it:
A "great boss"
If you catch the delivery of the miles of gift content on a Friday, you will catch the Moisson boss
standing with the assembly team, wrapping each chocolate bunny in sparkling transparent wrapping.
That wrapping is a personification of the essence of the success of Benoit Nolan as "boss"
The magic of Moisson is fed by the essence of this boss.
He comes into the store with a smile, a twinkle in his eyes, a fun comment to his individual employees
. His message to his staff is clear. In his eyes. In his body.
"I am one of yours"
