CALGARY — It was announced earlier this year that Calgary’s historic Simmons Building will house Connie DeSousa and John Jackson’s Charbar in 2015, but now there’s been an announcement about the restaurant’s executive chef and its centerpiece hearth.
The restaurant and roof deck, which will overlook the Bow River, will be led by executive chef Jessica Pelland who will cook over a live fire with a custom grill from Grillworks. “This majestic open-fire centrepiece becomes as dramatically important to the room’s design as to our cooking at Charbar. Understanding how to work the gear best is a first step,” says Jackson, who opened Calgary’s successful Charcut Roast House with DeSousa.“We will be travelling to Northern Michigan to watch as our new grill is built,” says DeSousa. “Then we take to the road to visit other renowned kitchens in the U.S. to try it out, learn from others and bring our skill home.”
Charbar’s menu will be inspired by trips to Spain, Portugal and more as Pelland — who’s been working at Charcut since 2010 — is preparing to take a culinary adventure next year to New York, San
Francisco, Peru and Argentina.
