Chef of the Papilles & Molécules restaurant
Bringing (good) warmth to the kitchen
NB: This series of encounters highlights the diversity of the members of the IRCM community, the variety of their expertise and the depth of their commitment to their respective roles
From left to right : Jorge Alcaide Reyna, David Kokai and Allan Rodolfo
At exactly 6:00 a.m., David walks into the Papilles & Molécules kitchen. The cafeteria is still asleep, but he’s already buzzing. He turns the music on, ties on his apron, and heads straight for the stove. Pastries, cookies, muffins: the first treats of the day are coming out of the oven as Montreal is just waking up.
At 7:00 a.m., his team arrives. He turns off his music and switches to the radio. “A slightly sad moment,” he jokes.
Then begins the well oiled dance of lunch prep. “At 11:30 a.m., Jorge and Alan take over at the counter and I head to the office.”
After the lunchtime rush, the three of them regroup and give each other a high five.
“Another day in the life of Chef David and the Papilles & Molécules team,” as he likes to say.
If David has this rhythm down pat, after being with us for a whole year, it’s because his background is rock solid: 34 years in the restaurant world speak for themselves. From cozy neighborhood spots to 600 seat powerhouses, from bakery to charcuterie, from his everyday kitchen to a Michelin starred restaurant in Paris, he has seen, done, and learned it all. That rich journey led him to us at the IRCM, where he daily shares his know how, but above all, his love and passion for cooking and people.
And while David is the chef, the face many recognize at first glance is Jorge’s, assistant and a sunshine of the cafeteria. Always smiling, he remembers what everyone culinary preferences, knows your allergies by heart, and bikes in every day, even through the fiercest snowstorms. Beside him is Alan, the right hand, he has taken over the hot table with confidence, among other things. A true foodie, “he cooks for you as if he were feeding his own family.”
While he plays with food the way a musician plays a familiar instrument, what David loves most at the IRCM is the people. He says it plainly: “offering a cafeteria worthy of the name, which is warm, thoughtful and of human scale, is his calling. Making our community members happy brings him the greatest satisfaction. For them, he’s constantly innovating.
“Working here, I feel at home.”
Looking ahead, his promise to our community is simple and beautiful:
“to keep feeding you with cuisine brimming with passion, to keep an evolving offer, to stay attentive, and to make Papilles & Molécules a place where you both eat and feel well.”
Happy Nutrition Month, Chef David.
And thank you for your contribution to keeping the flame of service burning at the IRCM.
