In
Nice, Chef Bernard's
birthplace, a bistro is a small family-owned restaurant where people
from the neighbourhood gather to sip leisurely on a glass of wine or
two. In 1993, Whitby
is where Manon and Bernard decided to open such a place, they called
Nice-Bistro. It is here as well that their two sons, Phillipe and Olivier
are growing up and are often seen helping their parents.
The
restaurant's decor depicts the warm French Mediterranean atmosphere
that is characteristic of Nice and its closely neighbouring country,
Italy. It is also in Nice where Bernard apprenticed in the kitchens
of some of that city's fine restaurants. From there, he perfected
his skills in New Orleans, New York, Miami and Qu�bec City, where he
met Manon. After spending a few years in Toronto, they decided
that Whitby would be an appropriate place to showcase Bernard's culinary
skills.
Qu�bec
City, where Manon and Bernard met, is where Manon's parents, also originally
from the south of France, owned a hotel in the heart of Old Qu�bec,
on rue Saint-Louis. Coincidentally, on the other side of rue Saint-Louis,
Bernard was working as a chef. Manon did her schooling in Qu�bec
City's last remaining English high school and then went on to get her
degree in Spanish literature at Carleton
University in Ottawa.
Manon and Bernard will tell you that owning a restaurant is a labour
of love and dedication. After a few years greeting their clientele
on Green Street, Manon and Bernard decided to move Nice-Bistro to Brock
Street in 1998. Their reputation as a fine, casual Dining establishment
was recognized a few years ago when it made the list of the very influential
traveller's guide book, "Where to eat in Canada".
'Habitu�s'
of Nice-Bistro and the new patrons enjoy the familial and 'Bon vivant'
ambiance that Manon and Bernard are well known for in Whitby. Often,
you will see Manon writing the daily menus on the chalk boards, a custom
in Nice, and in the kitchen, Chef Bernard prepares delicate dishes with
that proverbial touch of Provence.
"We want Nice-Bistro to be more than just an eating place, it should
be where people come to share and discuss the pleasures of the table,
in relaxed and convivial surroundings", says Chef Bernard.