Janick Bouchard was aware of his destiny since childhood, when he envisioned a career that would revolve around the concept of cooking. After spending his younger years in the kitchen cooking with his Mother, Bouchard left his hometown of Chapais, Québec for the city of Montréal. He enrolled in a Commercial and Institutional Cooking program in which he excelled, earning him a Diploma of Professional Studies.
Chef Bouchard began his career in 1989 at Montréal's Citrus, where he developed his skills alongside Chef Normand Laprise, one of Canada's most famous culinary masters. In 1991, he began a short "stage" in France at Le Dauphin, a restaurant located in the town of Challant. Returning to Québec with international experience, Chef Bouchard took a position at L'Express, a trendy Montréal bistro.
Janick followed his career path into the kitchen of Da Marcello, a Montréal restaurant renowned for its Tuscany cuisine. While working at Da Marcello, Chef Bouchard realized his passion for the classic dishes of the Mediterrenean. He soon moved on to Montréal's Passe-Partout, where he continued to develop his skills as Sous Chef under the tutelage of Chef James McGuire.
For the past six years, Chef Bouchard has been making his mark with a seasonal "cuisine du marché" at Les Remparts , the award-winning restaurant of Auberge du Vieux-Port. Using Québec products, including produce, fish and meats, he alters his menu with the changing seasons to ensure the freshness of his ingredients. He uses only the highest quality products, adding his own unique stylings to the preparation of classic French cuisine. The result is an exquisite menu of mouth-watering dishes that have earned the restaurant consecutive Tourism Montréal "Prix Ulysse" awards in the "Gastronomy" category and the prestigious Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) designation.
For Chef Bouchard 2003 proved to be a very busy year. He was honoured to headline as a guest chef at the famed James Beard Foundation in New York City, appeared on NBC's the Today Show and filmed a segment with Food Network USA. Late in the year Chef Bouchard assumed greater responsibility in opening a new restaurant Aix Cusine du Terroir.