“From the outset, we wanted a very current, user-friendly concept that would showcase Quebec products. We also wanted this redesign to be in keeping with the excellence that the ITHQ, the largest hospitality school in Canada, has always embodied. We’ve achieved these objectives with LG2’s collaboration, and our clientele can now enjoy a new, trendy and inviting bar that meets the highest standards.”
Liza Frulla
ITHQ CEO and Director, PC, CM, OQ
The Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) is Canada’s leading educational institution for tourism, hotel and restaurant services. Students have access to a wide range of programs that allow them to hone their skills during their training through the school’s bar and restaurant services. One of the ITHQ’s primary missions is to promote Quebec’s gastronomic culture by showcasing local products.
This goal inspired the creation of Blanc Bec, a brand new wine and cocktail bar located on the first floor of the Institute. The result of a collaboration between the ITHQ and the Quebec dairy farmers association (Les Producteurs de lait du Québec), the bar offers a wine list composed mainly of Quebec and Canadian wines as well as local beers and spirits to accompany a wide selection of dishes featuring local ingredients such as excellent Quebec cheeses.
A multi-flavour identity
To highlight this unique partnership, LG2 developed a visual identity and name that juxtaposes the codes of dairy with elements of a chic, inviting bar. The name references the product while the logo, with its half-moon shape, recalls a cheese wheel. These two elements form a unique identity, which has been applied to the space itself, the exterior sign and digital properties. By chance, both words of the name begin with the letter “B” and end with a “C,” setting the stage for a playful design that captures the eye with its original arrangement of letters. Black and white add simplicity to the visual iterations while the contrast accentuates the colour associated with the star products.
The cheese cellar: the pièce de résistance
LG2 Architecture completely redesigned the bar to make it more appealing to clientele. The custom-designed cheese cellar dominates the entrance as an architectural centrepiece announcing the importance placed on the product. The long white quartz counter in the centre of the space reflects the daylight, and with the sun’s retreat, hanging bell-shaped lights, recalling the space’s theme, illuminate to create a warm atmosphere. The overall design is sleek and clean thanks to the use of noble materials such as white oak, concrete, quartz and steel.
The yellow-ochre corrugated metal ceiling is a nod to the space’s theme, with its textured relief and colour reminiscent of certain cheeses, while the darker floor and steel railings reinforce the minimalist feel and contrast of colours. With rounded surfaces and a variety of seating, this inviting place now welcomes an eclectic clientele in a laid-back atmosphere.
L’Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec
The Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec is Canada’s leading centre for specialized training in tourism, hospitality, food and sommelier services. It has been ranked among the best in the industry for the past 50 years. It offers a wide range of programs in tourism, hotel and restaurant services in order to train a strong, skilled workforce for tomorrow. Students not only attend classes at the ITHQ, they also get hands-on experience at the Institute’s bar and restaurant.
Les Producteurs de lait du Québec
Les Producteurs de lait du Québec, affiliated with the Union des producteurs agricoles, represents 4,732 dairy farms, who deliver some 3.36 billion litres of milk, for a total of over $2.75 billion in farm receipts. Dairy production and processing generate 65,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs in the province, in addition to contributing $5.3 billion to the gross domestic product. Finally, Quebec dairy farms generate $1 billion in tax benefits.
