Le Péché Glacé

On holiday in Adelaide, Australia, Kathleen Bourgeois chanced upon a quaint little café that served gelato, the traditional Italian ice cream-like dessert that's taken the dessert world by storm. She loved it so much that she took a job on the local gelato scene instead of returning home, back to her position as a special needs educator. In fact, gelato had struck such a chord that she left teaching behind altogether. “I headed off to Italy to study the art of gelato-making at its source and purchase the equipment I would need to set up shop,” explains Kathleen.

In 2005, Péché Glacé opened its doors on Mount-Royal Avenue. It wasn’t long before this neighbourhood snack bar’s authentic gelatos and line-up of other goodies began attracting droves of area locals out for a sweet treat. One of those clients was Sylvain Valiquette, owner of the eastern Plateau's Café des Bois and co-owner of the nearby restaurant Les Belles-Soeurs. A businessman at heart, he saw Péché Glacé’s potential, and it just so happened that Kathleen was looking for a keen business mind to help her grow the spot’s clientele. In 2012 they joined forces to spread the joy of gelato.