Skip to content

Monday Morning “MUG”ing: Carrying on a legacy

This week’s Monday Morning ‘MUG’ing is about Beaux Daddy’s on Highway 61.

THUNDER BAY -- Beaux Daddy’s was the culmination of Richard (Dick) Davidson’s life - his career in hospitality, his culinary experiences and his dreams. Davidson spent three years creating a Canadian, Cajun and Acadian fusion restaurant on the site of Uncle Frank’s Supper Club, which had been there for 65 years.

Beaux Daddy’s opened in May 2012, but sadly, Davidson passed away a few months later. His youngest son Chris Davidson now owns the restaurant, keeping it alive.

Chris worked in kitchens as a student, but after obtaining his broadcasting diploma from Confederation College, he decided to stay in the food and hospitality industry. He owned a restaurant in Sioux Lookout for thirteen years, but he had no doubts about selling it and taking on Beaux Daddy’s when his father passed away.

Chris tweaked the original menu a fair bit; the popular and familiar items stayed - jamabalaya and gumbo - while some of the more exotic ones, such as blackened catfish and alligator had to go, due to the reluctance of many diners to try it. “Now we offer a combination of comfort foods, with New Orleans fare, combined with our own interesting spins,” says Davidson.

The restaurant recently participated in Novemburger, a fundraiser for the United Way of Thunder Bay, and its Bon Bon Bacon Blueberry Barbecue Brie Burger was voted the best Novemburger of 2019.

Beaux Daddy’s currently employs 17 staff, with a seating capacity of 210, which makes it an ideal venue for large business events and paint nights. Some of the paint night artists have painted a mural of Dick Davidson with a guitar on his dock, as a tribute to the restaurant’s founder.

Chris has put up the restaurant for sale, but he is in no hurry to sell. “It’s all about succession planning for me. I know it’ll take time to find the right person; I want somebody that has the same passion as I do,” he explains.

Do you want to see your business featured in Monday Morning “MUG”ing, click here and tell us your story.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks