Bienvenue, Chez Céline
It was not in my plans to open another restaurant
says Vancouver-based chef J-C Poirier, whose most recent venture, St. Lawrence, has placed in the C100B top 10 four times. But a pair of his longest-serving staff members – sommelier David Lawson and sous-chef Margaux Herder – had long expressed a shared dream of opening a spot of their own and were willing to invest their savings as long as Poirier would do likewise, as well as lend some of operational expertise. The result, Chez Céline.
While St. Lawrence’s dual French-and-Québécois culinary theme will carry over to this new venture, Poirier says the 48-seat Chez Céline will be a more casual affair, catering as much to walk-ins and neighbourhood families as to those seeking a gastronomic adventure. Expect “unconventional bistro fare, he says, such as pizza-like flatbreads topped with French ingredients such as escargot and garlic butter, or spaghetti tossed with lobster bisque.
Lawson will be pouring plenty of B.C. natural wines alongside local beers, complemented by a strong non-alcoholic drinks program. A soft-serve ice cream machine will also be put to good use.
— Michael White
