Supply And Demand: What We Can Learn From Montrachet

It’s no secret that Montrachet in Brisbane is considered Brisbane’s best French restaurant, and for good reason. Founded by Thierry Galichet in 2004, he was inspired by his home town of Lyon and created an authentic French experience within Brisbane’s suburbs. With traditional décor, pavement seating, French wines, and food to die for, it’s no wonder Montrachet remains as popular as ever. 

It’s no surprise that with a high quality product, Galichet built such a great brand that he was selling out two sittings every night and making a lucrative lunch trade. No small feat! So the fact that Galichet decided to close his restaurant on weekends – Friday night included – seemed like a ludicrous idea. Why would any restaurant close over the weekend?

But the effect this had on the business was not a disaster. In fact, it became a rare commodity, and because people couldn’t get it easily, they wanted it more. Montrachet became even more popular and is now famous for not opening on weekends.

It’s not just clients that love it. The staff there obviously love it too, as they rarely move on. Why would they? It’s a busy restaurant, with renowned great service, world-class food, and no weekend shifts. 

Even though Galichet sold the restaurant earlier this year, it doesn’t look like things will change. Galichet, who is now focusing on his wine importing business, will still provide the wines and new owner and chef Shannon Kellam is bringing his own brand of food to a new Friday night degustation menu. While Friday nights are back on, Montrachet remains closed the rest of the weekend.

Montrachet has proven that quality over quantity is what counts. At the end of the day, having a great product is what really matters.