Manitoba Chamber of Commerce
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/1525613
I nspired by small-town countryside restaurants in the south of France, Peasant Cookery offers honest food from the land with a French twist. Centrally located across from Old Market Square and instantly recognizable from the bright red casings that frame large windows, Peasant Cookery serves upscale comfort food in the heart of the Exchange District. It focuses on fresh, local ingredients and maintains a house-made philosophy, curing meats and pickling vegetables in-house. "I was dining in these little towns and discovered really good food, simply put together, and it wasn't that expensive," explains Doug Stephen, owner, president and CEO of WOW Hospitality Concepts, which operates Peasant Cookery and several other landmark Winnipeg establishments. "When I came back from France, I talked to my chef at the time about wanting to change the concept of Oui Bistro, which we had opened in 2007, to capture what I experienced: honest food from the land." Since 2013, Peasant Cookery has become a neighbourhood hot spot and destination for urban festival-goers — like the jazz, soca reggae and fringe festivals — and performing arts patrons owing to its proximity to the theatre district, Centennial Concert Hall and Burton Cummings eatre. Whereas its predecessor was a fine-dining white tablecloth restaurant, the Peasant has carved out a reputation for itself as more approachable with a relaxed environment and well-loved staff. "We make sure that we have interesting fare, and a lot of it is local as well," Stephen says. "I think the attraction is that it is chef- driven. e chefs do a lot of the creative heavy lifting and present what they've got on the drawing board. Chef Andrew Mihaychuk is a talented young man. He changes the menu seasonally and we do a couple of tweaks along the way — the menus are always refreshing. He recently has come up with a bison bourguignon. And people can come and get their favourites, too." HONEST FOOD WITH A FRENCH TWIST AT PEASANT COOKERY BY KRISTIN MARAND SAVOUR MANITOBA | FALL 24 21