While it's always nice to be recognized with an award, for Val Lessard, it's all about the people who make that possible.
Lessard is the owner/operator of food and beverage services at the Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke, which includes the West Coast Grille, cafe, lounge, and catering the cafe. The West Coast Grill earned the People's Choice award at the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce's recent Business Excellence Awards event.
"It feels great to know our business has made a great impression in our community," noted Lessard. "It's always gratifying to be recognized by the local business community, and I feel humbled and honoured to win the award. The recognition is rewarding because it shows that our efforts are working."
Having said that, Lessard was quick to stress that none of this would have been possible without the care, attention, and dedication of her 60-member staff to their guests and people from the community and beyond.
"They are the motor that keeps us operating smoothly," she said. "In our 14 years of operation, winning awards has never been a priority, but the recognition is rewarding because it shows that our efforts are working."
Lessard has been at the helm since the Sooke Prestige Oceanfront opened.
"I've been here since it was a hole in the ground," she said with a smile that lit up the dining room. "Our chef, Adam Guttier, has been with us from the beginning as well, and we have lots of staff that have been here for a long time, some 10 years plus."
Lessard cites that consistency coupled with an innovative spirit and the ability to think outside the box as other key ingredients for their recipe for success.
"Once again, it's our amazing crew that makes all of this possible," she said. "We're all looking forward to continuing to serve the community and our guests from around the world."