Cassis On 17th Inc

For Gilles Brassart, the owner of Cassis Bistro, food is a fond reminder of his childhood. Growing up in the south of France, young Gilles spent most of his time in the kitchen. “The kitchen is very important in my family,” he says. “I grew up cooking and eating with my grandmother and mother. Eating food from home reminds me of those times in the kitchen.”

Once Gilles became aware of his passion, he moved to San Francisco to open his first French restaurant, which quickly became a success. But Gilles wanted to try something different. His wife was from Calgary, so they moved there. Soon after, Gilles opened Cassis Bistro, a high-end restaurant that specializes in regional cuisine from the south of France.

“The food in southern France is very different from the French food you’ll find in Paris and Brittany,” says Gilles. “Because the climate is so hot and dry, we grow a lot more olive trees for olive oil. The food is lighter than in the north, where they use more butter. We also produce a lot of fruit, like cantaloupe, apricot and watermelon, so those are used more in our meals.”