Bobettes, fine wines and exotic juices: the stars are pampered at the Videotron Centre

Go behind the scenes of the show’s preparation at Videotron Center, from special requests from performers to preparing meals served to thousands of spectators.

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“The Miracles Department is always open,” says Sabrina Fissett, director of premium services at Levy, the company responsible for catering and artist orders taken at the Videotron Center.

Levy, which also provides the same kind of service for the Cigale Festival, Igloofest and other Gestev events, is ready to do its best to respond to requests addressed to them.

“We had already received a pressing request for wines from a grape variety that we could not find here in Quebec,” recalls M.^I Fiset, with whom Newspaper He spoke a few hours before Shania Twain’s show in Quebec. “We called a wine specialist to see if he had a contact to find this wine, and then brought four bottles by taxi so we could get it in time,” she says.

In addition to the very specific requests that some artists may make, it may also happen that a headliner changes his requirements at the last minute. However, this does not worry the M team^I visit.

“The artist was asleep on his tour bus and wanted a green smoothie with fresh ingredients when he woke up,” she recalls, laughing. “When we got to his bus with his juice, we were told that he had changed his mind: We had changed the recipe!”

Levi’s premium services go as far as artists purchasing what ordinary people take the time to put in their bags when leaving on a trip.

“We can buy hats, socks and toothbrushes for the stars we receive,” Ms. Fissette says. “It can sometimes be difficult to buy these things from a famous artist,” she laughs, without mentioning the names behind the crazy orders.

In the kitchen with the executive chef

Purchasing groceries for an event at the Videotron Center costs an average of about $14,000, and food preparation takes about three days. Executive Chef Richard Edwards and his team, who he likes to call family, are the ones behind all the dishes; Both those for concessions and dressing room buffets and those that go to the performers and their team, which can consist of about a hundred people, as is the case for Shania Twain, who will perform Tuesday.

“You either like the pressure or you don’t,” says the man who has been in the job for two and a half years. “If we compare it to a restaurant kitchen, it requires a lot more organization: I’m already planning the offerings for November,” Mr. Edwards explains, as his team looks like an anthill in the kitchen behind him.

The Grandstand’s executive chef welcomes the growing popularity of veganism and gluten-free eating, and doesn’t see these diets adding extra work to his kitchen.

“Vegans and anyone on a more restrictive diet deserve to eat like everyone else,” he says. “It’s simply about developing our cooking style over time; Aide from the water of the fruit that created it.

All food not sold during the event is donated to La Tablee des Chefs, which redistributes surplus from caterers and event kitchens to those in need.