Serving staff and cooks are out of work following the abrupt and unwarned closure of downtown Victoria’s Saveur — a high-scale, fine dining restaurant.
The restaurant announced their immediate and permanent closure following 10 years of business via social media at around noon on Thursday, July 27th.
Following the announcement, some former staff members turned to Reddit and Facebook trying to find work as a server or cook after being let go with almost no notice.
Saveur said it was the pandemic in combination with other setbacks including, but not limited to labor shortages, rising cost of food, and inflation which led them to the decision to close.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we say farewell,” said a Saveur spokesperson. “Since 2020, the operational challenges faced by businesses due to ongoing closures, restrictions, and setbacks caused by the pandemic made an extremely difficult environment for restaurants to survive in.”
The highly decorated and revered restaurant gave thanks to all of those who started the business and kept it alive for the last decade.
By their account, it was a rags to riches story of passion and perseverance.
“Saveur was an empty shell when Chef Robert Cassels first started this project 10 years ago,” Saveur wrote on their social media.
“With the help of many, (and you all know who you are), it was not only physically built-out from scratch, but Saveur became an extraordinary space, constantly evolving.”
“By year three, it had skyrocketed to the top restaurant in the city,” they added.
They also included in their farewell post that they have sold the restaurant to another restaurateur who will take over the 658 Herald Street space soon.
At this time it is unclear who has bought the space and what they plan to do with it.
See Saveur’s post here:
