CHARCUT

What CHARCUT does

CHARCUT is a Calgary-based restaurant group founded in 2009 by Chef Connie DeSousa, Chef John Jackson, and Carrie Jackson, operating under the parent CHAR Hospitality Group. The company runs two full-service locations in Calgary (Downtown and University District) serving Italian and Portuguese-inspired cuisine centered on house-cured meats, rotisserie prime rib, fresh pastas, and sustainable seafood. Sourcing is direct from 40+ Alberta farms, with an on-site Butcher Shop and The Butcherina private dining room extending the experiential offering. The group also operates sister brands charbar and CHIX Eggshop, plus Connie & John's Pizza, a grab-and-go format launched in 2021.

The business model is traditional full-service restaurant revenue: dine-in covers, private events in The Butcherina, gift cards, and a self-bottled/cured retail line through the Butcher Shop. Customer acquisition flows through OpenTable reservations, the company's direct website, and third-party delivery platforms (DoorDash, SkipTheDishes). Average-check and cover-driven pricing place the brand in the premium-casual segment of the Calgary market, with brand equity reinforced by Canada's Best Restaurant recognition and ongoing media presence of the chef-founders.

The company is female majority-owned, employs approximately 27 people, and has no disclosed outside funding. Strategic priorities visible in the data are conservation of culinary-led brand identity, format diversification (pizza, butcher shop), and deepening the Alberta supplier ecosystem rather than aggressive geographic expansion.

Name

CHARCUT

Legal name

2490659 ALBERTA INC.

Website

https://charcut.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CHARCUT is a Calgary-based restaurant group operating two full-service Italian and Portuguese-inspired locations featuring house-cured meats and farm-to-table sourcing, plus a pizza concept and butcher shop, serving local diners and private-event guests.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Farm-to-Table Restaurants

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Food Services and Drinking Places (722), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Meat Packing Plants (2011)

akta.pro primary industry

Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Butcher Shops & Meat Markets (CRAHAHAB), Charcuterie & Cured Meats Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAE), Fermented & Air-Dried Charcuterie (Salami, Pepperoni, Prosciutto-Style) (AFANAEAE), Cooked & RTE Processed Meats (Roasts, Meatloaf, Sliced RTE) (AFANAEAF)

Keywords

• Farm-to-table dining
• Artisanal charcuterie
• Italian Portuguese cuisine
• Private dining events
• Neighbourhood restaurant

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Dine-in restaurant service: Full-service restaurant with breakfast, lunch, and dinner service across two locations. Revenue generated through food and beverage sales at table service.
2. Private events and buyouts: Both locations can host reservations for large parties, private events, and full restaurant buyouts at premium pricing.
3. Take-out and delivery: Connie & John's Pizza outpost provides grab-and-go, pick-up, and delivery services via third-party platforms (DoorDash, SkipTheDishes) and direct website orders.
4. Gift cards: Gift cards sold for both University District and Downtown locations via SquareUp platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CHARCUT operates two full-service, farm-to-table restaurants in Calgary offering Italian and Portuguese-inspired menus centred on house-cured meats, handmade pastas, rotisserie prime rib of Alberta beef, and seasonal vegetable-forward dishes. The group supplements dine-in service with a pizza outpost (Connie & John's), a private dining room (The Butcherina), a retail butcher shop, and event/private buyout hosting.

Product overview

CHARCUT is a local, market-driven restaurant group from Calgary's CHAR Hospitality Group, founded by acclaimed chefs Connie DeSousa and John Jackson. The portfolio includes two restaurant locations (Downtown and University District), each offering menus inspired by Italian and Portuguese traditions with seasonal, artisanal ingredients. The Downtown location features breakfast, lunch, and dinner service with house-cured meats, rotisserie prime rib, and fresh pastas. The University District location specializes in artisan pizzas and also houses The Butcherina private dining room. A separate brand, Connie & John's Pizza, operates in the Alt Hotel lobby providing grab-and-go New York and Detroit-style pizzas. The group also operates a butcher shop for retail meat sales. Both locations support large party bookings, private events, and full restaurant buyouts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CHARCUT Downtown Flagship full-service restaurant at 899 Centre St S, Calgary offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and happy hour. Menu features house-cured meats, rotisserie prime rib of Alberta beef, fresh handmade pastas, vegetable-forward 'Butcher's Daughter' sharing plates, and a curated wine, beer, and cocktail program. Also hosts the 899 Lounge.
• CHARCUT University District Second full-service restaurant at 4150 University Avenue NW, Calgary featuring artisan pizzas, fresh pastas, house-cured meats, and sustainable Ocean Wise seafood. Houses The Butcherina private dining room and sits alongside the Connie & John's Pizza outpost.
• Connie & John's Pizza Grab-and-go pizza outpost located in the Alt Hotel lobby at University District, offering artisanal New York and Detroit-style pizzas made fresh to order. Available for pick-up or delivery via the connieandjohns.com website, DoorDash, and SkipTheDishes. Also offers craft beer, canned spirits, and a rotating wine selection.
• The Butcherina Private Dining Room Versatile private dining room within the University District location, seating up to 14 guests, situated beside the open kitchen with views into the chef's butcher shop. Hosts special events, pop-ups, and guest chef dinners.
• CHARCUT Butcher Shop Retail butcher shop showcasing custom meat lockers with proudly sourced butcher cuts, house-cured meats, and artisanal meat products available for purchase online and via the in-restaurant program.
• CHARCUT Gift Cards Digital gift cards redeemable at both the University District and Downtown locations, sold online via the SquareUp platform.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Market WinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing wine partnership providing rotating wine selection for both CHARCUT locations. Includes discounted corkage fee ($15/bottle vs $30 standard) at University District location, demonstrating deep integration with Market Wines as the exclusive wine partner.
• DoorDashminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery platform for Connie & John's Pizza menu items, providing delivery service to customers ordering through the DoorDash app.
• SkipTheDishesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery platform for Connie & John's Pizza menu items, providing delivery service to customers ordering through the SkipTheDishes app.
• OpenTablecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary reservation platform for both CHARCUT locations, also used for waitlist management during peak periods. Essential for customer acquisition and table management.
• Calgary Foundation - CHAR Hospitality FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHAR Hospitality Fund administered by Calgary Foundation creates meaningful community impact, supporting women in poverty entering the culinary world and ensuring accessible healthy food for children in underserved communities. Represents company's social mission alignment.
• Alberta Farmers, Ranchers, and Artisan ProducerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner40+ Alberta farmers, ranchers, and artisan producers supplying seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. The '40 Farms in 40 Days' initiative established foundational supplier relationships central to CHARCUT's farm-to-table philosophy.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Restaurant Pearl Morissette: Jordan Station, Ontario farm-to-table restaurant and winery. Comparable to CHARCUT as a chef-driven, ingredient-led Canadian restaurant consistently ranked among Canada's best, with a strong natural-wine program and a focus on artisanal sourcing.
• Langdon Hall: Cambellville, Ontario destination fine-dining property and one of Canada's most celebrated chef-driven restaurants. Comparable to CHARCUT as a nationally recognized Canadian farm-to-table restaurant with strong brand reputation, chef-led kitchen, and premium private-event business.
• St. Lawrence Restaurant: Vancouver Italian and Portuguese-accented restaurant with cured-meat program. Comparable to CHARCUT's Italian and Portuguese culinary influence, in-house curing/charcuterie focus, and small-format artisanal execution.
• Model Milk: Calgary chef-driven restaurant and contemporary Canadian dining institution. Directly comparable to CHARCUT as a Calgary fine-dining competitor in the same metro, with similar celebrity-chef brand and seasonal sourcing approach.
• Rge Rd: Edmonton farm-to-table restaurant from chef Blair Lebsack focused on regional Alberta sourcing. Comparable to CHARCUT on the Alberta farm-to-table positioning, nose-to-tail philosophy, and farm-supplier relationships, though operating in a smaller market.
• Hawksworth Restaurant: Vancouver-based chef-driven restaurant from David Hawksworth, a Canadian culinary celebrity. Comparable to CHARCUT in profile: nationally awarded fine-dining concept with strong wine/bar program and private event revenue, anchored by a single celebrity-chef brand.
• Joe Beef: Montreal institution renowned for nose-to-tail butchery, house-cured meats, and cult-status Canadian dining. Directly comparable to CHARCUT on charcuterie program intensity, butchery-led menu, and Canadian celebrity-restaurant brand stature.

Regional players

• Cluny Bistro: Calgary bistro operating inside a heritage building with a French-leaning menu and strong private-event offering. Comparable to CHARCUT on Calgary fine-casual positioning, event revenue, and metropolitan location strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Canoe Restaurant: Toronto-based Oliver & Bonacini fine-dining restaurant atop a bank tower. Comparable to CHARCUT's Downtown flagship as a major-city chef-driven Canadian restaurant with strong corporate/private-event revenue mix.

Emerging players

• Stellas Casa Cafe: Calgary-based chef-driven casual concept. Comparable to CHARCUT's Connie & John's Pizza as an adjacent Calgary grab-and-go/casual concept sharing the local food scene and supply ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charcut-roast-house

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CHARCUT