Born in the South of France to a family deeply rooted in the culinary world, Yannick Bigourdan has built a distinguished career as a restaurateur and hospitality entrepreneur in Toronto. Trained in Europe and a graduate with honours from the Swiss Hotel School of Lausanne, he began his career with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, holding senior leadership roles in Los Angeles and Toronto, including Director of Restaurants and Bars.

In 2001, Yannick co-acquired Splendido, which became one of Canada’s most celebrated restaurants, earning multiple national accolades. He later founded Nota Bene, named Best New Restaurant by both Toronto Life and Air Canada enRoute. In 2013, he opened The Carbon Bar, now a Toronto institution and a leader in premium BBQ dining.

In 2021, The Carbon Bar expanded into consumer packaged goods, later evolving into Shop The Carbon Bar, a growing e-commerce platform specializing in premium sauces, spices, and BBQ frozen ready-to-eat meals, with 80+ SKUs delivered across Southern Ontario.. Building on this momentum, Yannick founded Slice Baby Slice in 2023, operating out of a 9,000 sq. ft. commissary kitchen in East York. The business combines retail and wholesale production, e-commerce, and catering, Slice Baby Slice is also home to The Social Catering & Co., a trusted partner for institutions including the Canadian Opera Company, Union Station, Second Harvest, and Allied Properties.

That same year, Yannick opened Lucie, a refined French fine-dining restaurant in Toronto’s financial district, named in honour of his grandmother and recommended by the Michelin Guide.

In 2025, Yannick expanded at King and Spadina with the opening of The Carbon Snack Bar, a fast-casual, chef-driven concept, and TheSocial460, a purpose-built event space offering fully integrated food, beverage, and event programming. In January 2026, Amano Trattoria was reintroduced as Notte Ristorante, and the group continues to grow The Berczy Tavern, a dynamic downtown restaurant and piano bar.

Recognized for his contributions to the industry, Yannick is the recipient of the Ontario Hostelry Institute Gold Award for Independent Restaurateur. In 2026, he is launching KLTY Restaurant Consulting, offering strategic advisory services and practical masterclasses for hospitality professionals and operators.