A Seat at the Table

Spike Mendelsohn grew up in the restaurant industry—quite literally. He says some of his most vivid childhood memories are in his grandfather’s restaurant in Montreal, whether it was making a tableside Caesar salad for customers or washing dishes in the back of the house. Considering this upbringing, perhaps it's not surprising that he had a strained relationship with the restaurant industry for many years.

“I don’t think I fell in love with it,” he explains. “It was actually quite the opposite. …