Paris caviar institution Caviar Kaspia makes Canadian debut with Holt Renfrew

PARIS · Caviar Kaspia, a Parisian restaurant that has served caviar to fashion elites for nearly a century, is launching its first Canadian locations through a partnership with Holt Renfrew. Pop-up restaurants will open in the retailer's Holt Cafés in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal from Nov. 2 until Feb. 28. The move taps into the holiday season and Lunar New Year celebrations, bringing the brand's signature blue tablecloths and ornate service to Canada.

The restaurant, which opened in 1929 and moved to its current Place de la Madeleine location in 1953, has become a viral sensation and a difficult reservation during fashion weeks. Its second-floor dining room is known for filling with editors, executives and celebrities during Paris Fashion Week. Holt Renfrew's fashion director Joseph Tang said the experience is a major draw. "I think the experience of going to Caviar Kaspia kind of trumps the caviar to a certain point," Tang said. "You're really there to live and breathe Paris with every single major fashion person."

To prepare, chefs and front-of-house staff from the three Holt Cafés travelled to Paris in September for training. They learned to create perfect blinis, gently unfold pancakes onto plates and master the formalities of caviar service. "It was equally as important to bring the ceremony of the table back to Canada," Tang said. The menu in Canada will feature caviar-topped standards like potato rösti pizzas and grilled cheese sandwiches, plus new items such as chicken nuggets.

READ MORE: Toronto restaurateur says last-minute cancellations are crippling his business

READ MORE: Mon Lapin releases cookbook chronicling Montreal restaurant's rise

Merchandise will also be available, including vintage-inspired T-shirts, sweatshirts, ball caps and tote bags. Caviar itself will be sold in custom magenta tins holding between 30 and 250 grams of Baeri roe. The Canadian debut comes as caviar's popularity grows, with single servings appearing on more menus worldwide. Caviar Kaspia's CEO Ramon Mac-Crohon, with the company since 2001, describes the restaurant's approach as theatrical. He cited the ornate matryoshka serving vessels that open to reveal a tin nestled in crushed ice.

Mac-Crohon said the consistent aesthetic is built around a specific colour. "The main ingredient, for me, is, like Hermès orange, the Kaspia blue. When you're looking at a table, you could be anywhere in the world, but it's Kaspia." The brand now operates eight permanent and seasonal locations, including outposts in New York and Istanbul. Tang said the partnership is part of Holt Renfrew's push into immersive retail experiences. "We're covered in fashion. We have all the best brands around the world," he said. "But this allows us to share a little bit of the experiences that we get to see when we travel and bring that back to the customer."

With files from The Globe and Mail