Walking through the door into Le Marche Gourmet, Revelstoke’s new market, one can’t help but be impressed with the quality presented. Reminiscent of a European or large city market, quality is exactly what Le Marche’s owners are aiming for.
“Our goal was offer local food as much as possible,” Sonia Ratté explains. “Along with high quality imported foods. There is nothing mediocre.”
Le Marche opened Saturday, June 20, at 607 Victoria Road with little fanfare or advertising. “It’s been steady, which is what we hoped for,” Ratté says. “We wanted to make sure we had everything organized before we advertised.”
Regardless of their quiet opening, customers have been streaming through the market.
The new venture for La Baguette owners Ratté and Olivier Dutil has actually been in the works for some time. The focus on quality ingredients and presentation is something La Baguette has long practised, and is unsurprising considering both Dutil and Ratté are classically trained chefs. They run several other enterprises, including a La Baguette location at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, the winter only station at the top of the Gondola, and a summer gelato stall at the Roxy Theatre. As well, they provide a catering service.
PHOTO: Left: The daily goods and cheese counter. Right: Spices can be bought in bulk.
Le Marche represents what Ratté had initially wanted to create with La Baguette but lacked the store front space to do so.
La Baguette, an incredibly popular cafe in town, will still carry baked goods and even more desserts, while Le Marche will carry the cheeses, fresh pastas and salads.
“La Baguette gets very busy, with a long line, for people just wanting some cheese or pasta or salad. Now they can come to Le Marche and get those items without the coffee line,” Ratté says.
Le Marche is much more than items from La Baguette. Wandering through the store one sees everything from fresh produce (grown in Revelstoke or the Okanagan), bulk spices, oils made from pecan to pistachio, balsamic vinegar, cans of white truffle and porcini sauce, varying sizes of Italian tomato sauce, to frozen wild meats like venison, duck, wild boar, and salmon steaks, all priced as competitively as possible. There is a space for an outdoor market area Ratté soon hopes to ultize. “We are still filling our shelves,” Ratté laughs. “There is more to come.”
Joining Ratté and Dutil in this new venture is co-owner Sarah Jeanne, who Revelstokians may recognize from her two years working at La Baguette. Jeanne and Ratté actually hail from the same small town in Quebec, St-Raymond, though they didn’t know one another before living in Revelstoke. Ratté is thrilled to have Jeanne on board.
“Sarah is wonderful, and we have the same vision for Le Marche.”
Jeanne, Ratté and Dutil want Le Marche hours to work for the people of Revelstoke. They are open seven days a week, accommodating residents’ various schedules. Le Marche truly does have something for everyone. Head down and see what all the chatter is about.
PHOTO: Left: A stand of wheat and oats. Right: Fresh produce.