Some foods bring people together, warm the heart and tell a story that goes far beyond the meal. Fondue is one of them. At 1001 Fondues, this fun and friendly dish is the reflection of a family story, know-how passed down from one generation to the next and a fierce desire to celebrate Quebec. For over forty years, the father-daughter business has been reinventing tradition by pairing local cheese and alcohol, creating original recipes that celebrate both the terroir and the art of sharing.
A tradition that brings generations together
The story of 1001 Fondues is a family story. It began in 1984, when Jean-Yves Lapointe, then a young entrepreneur and chartered accountant by training, seized a unique opportunity: buying Café Suisse, an Old Québec institution. Housed in a two-hundred-year-old building designated a UNESCO heritage site, the restaurant could seat up to 350 guests and had 100 employees. In other words, he had taken on quite a challenge.
Jean-Yves’s daughter Caroline, then aged ten, grew up to the rhythm of the dinner service, between the aroma of melted cheese and the buzz of the restaurant. Heirs to an authentic Swiss tradition, the father and daughter developed a deep respect for quality and their customers. Running a restaurant became a school of discipline, creativity and, above all, attentiveness: managing perishables, customer service, communications, human resources, not to mention the art of making a meal a memorable event. For Café Suisse’s patrons, meals were more than just dinner: they were a celebration, an experience etched into their memory. This philosophy of hospitality and attention to detail has never left them.
The penny drops: reinventing fondue
A seemingly trivial anecdote would change everything. One evening, a customer called the restaurant in a panic: her homemade fondue was separating, and she didn’t know what to do. This was the entrepreneurial spark for 1001 Fondues. What if people needed a simple, convenient product that guaranteed a perfect fondue every time?
At the time, the only “ready-to-cook” products were imported. That’s when the idea took hold: why not create a unique fondue, made locally with Quebec cheese and alcohol? Something convenient and convivial, free of additives, yet crafted with the same care and passion as in the restaurant. One thing led to another, and the family found itself making the significant shift from the restaurant business to food production, with the mission of making fondue accessible to anyone, without compromising on quality.
Local recipes that celebrate the terroir
Today, 1001 Fondues is the only company in Quebec that creates ready-to-cook fondues made with local cheeses paired with local alcohol: beer, gin, cider and even whiskey fondues. Central to their approach is a simple conviction: to work closely with local artisans.
Each creation showcases their know-how, while meeting exacting standards: organic certification, additive-free products and close collaborations with cheesemakers across Quebec. These technical challenges would have discouraged many entrepreneurs, but for Caroline and Jean-Yves, they became drivers of innovation.
Their approach goes well beyond gastronomy. Working with cheese trimmings and giving disproportional wheels a second life, the business helps reduce food waste and supports local producers. It’s a sustainable approach, born of common sense and their experience running a restaurant, which taught Jean-Yves and Caroline that no ingredient should go to waste.
Innovating while remaining faithful to tradition
While fondue is often associated with winter evenings, 1001 Fondues has made it its mission to ensure it’s enjoyed year-round. Thanks to partnerships with local microbreweries, ready-to-cook fondues are available in their establishments at the height of the summer tourist season. Served with fresh terroir products, they can turn a simple happy hour into a celebration. For restaurateurs and brewers, the solution is appealing for another reason: against the backdrop of a labour shortage, these fondues are so easy to prepare that a bartender can serve them, without needing kitchen staff.
Although 1001 Fondues is rooted in tradition, innovation is never far off. After launching their irresistible Hot Fondue® bread, a baguette entertainingly hollowed out by a machine for a gourmet creation to enjoy on the go, the company is preparing to open a store in Quebec City where customers can find fondues, as well as broths, charcuterie and carefully selected accompaniments.
Behind all these projects is the same driver: curiosity, passion, the desire to learn and to offer customers a memorable experience, whether in yesterday’s restaurant or in today’s home.
Pride and a vision for the future
Reinventing yourself is never easy. This is something Jean-Yves and Caroline know all too well: shifting from the demanding world of restaurants to food production required courage and perseverance. But forty years later, 1001 Fondues continues to grow, innovate and, most importantly, spread happiness.
In 2022, their team expanded with the arrival of the chef Maxime Albert, a culinary enthusiast who worked at Hôtel Sacacomie and Château Frontenac. What makes him an invaluable ally? A shared background in the restaurant world and a shared passion: excellence, in service of Quebec’s cultural and agri-food heritage. Alongside Jean-Yves and Caroline, Maxime is fashioning a new line of products for launch in 2026. Stay tuned!
And what’s their greatest source of pride? Turning a legacy into a family business and showcasing local flavours. Their fondest wish? That every fondue shared around a table becomes a moment of joy and connection.
Because essentially, 1001 Fondues doesn’t just sell super convenient fondues. It offers an updated tradition, local know-how and, above all, the pleasure of bringing people together.
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Jean-Yves and Caroline can count on the support of Ann-Catherine D’Amours, Regional Director for the Capitale-Nationale. Always ready to tackle new challenges, she supports businesses with her active listening and dedication. Her mission is to understand their realities, work together to find the best solutions and lay the foundations for sustainable growth.
Thanks to the engagement of invaluable partners: Économie Québec, through its agent Investissement Québec, the Government of Canada, National Bank, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, and Fondaction, Evol has a large envelope to support, through conventional loans, businesses with inclusive, diversified ownership that generate positive social and environmental impacts in line with the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDG).