It’s 9am when Annie Brace-Lavoie starts her day. The coffee maker is trickling as she begins to pull containers and produce from refrigerators. A tray of nest-like wheels made of praline-flavoured choux pastry make its way into the oven. After baking they’ll be cut horizontally and piped full of hazelnut creme. Desserts are always done […]
Jenner Cormier
Posted inFood + Drink
A night at Bar Kismet
Bar Kismet 2733 Agricola Street Tue-Sun 5pm-12am One of the biggest downsides of writing about a restaurant that you really love is the potential to ruin your chance of ever getting a table at that restaurant ever again. When there are only a few dozen seats, you kind of want to keep every single one […]
Posted inFood + Drink
First look: behind Bar Kismet’s classic decor
Bar Kismet 2733 Agricola Street Tue-Sun, 5pm-12am It’s 22 degrees and Jenner Cormier’s forearm is covered in goosebumps. He’s recounting the first few days of service at Bar Kismet, the seafood-focussed restaurant he and his partner Annie Brace-Lavoie (who’s also the chef) opened quietly to Agricola Street last weekend. “The last few nights we’ve had […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Simple and pure Potions and Provisions
Annie Brace-Lavoie met Jenner Cormier in a bathroom in Toronto. They were laying tile, working on the mosaics in the bathroom of Bar Raval, where they were both a part of the opening team. Cormier worked the bar at the restaurant while Brace-Lavoie was a line cook. Before Raval, Brace-Lavoie worked in the kitchens at […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Jenner Cormier is Canada’s Best Bartender
Raise your glasses Halifax (if there was ever a time to use that cliche, it is now) or at the very least, spike that coffee—your very own Jenner Cormier has been crowned Canada’s Best Bartender of 2013. This week the mix master behind the bar at The Middle Spoon and Noble travelled to Toronto for […]