The mediterranean-themed Grey Highlands eatery is Chef Jonathan Gushue’s first foray into Southern Georgian Bay, with more to come.
by Jen McNeely //
Chef Jonathan Gushue and Chef Phillippe de Montburn.
Jennifer Bélanger.
He helmed the kitchens at Langdon Hall, Fogo Island Inn, and Elora Mill, and now Chef Jonathan Gushue has partnered with Jennifer Bélanger, previously the General Manager at Stratford’s Bruce Hotel and Mark McEwan’s One Restaurant, to bring culinary magic to Grey County. Their restaurant, The Gate, opened in Flesherton this past week, adding an immediate influx of energy and intrigue to the region and an exciting new dimension to the local food scene.
It’s a move that no one could have anticipated, not even Gushue and Bélanger, who had been focused on opening The Vale, “a French country farmhouse restaurant and inn” in the village of Kimberley, but after hitting some red-tape challenges, were forced to pivot. “We hit delays and the reason we wanted to open the restaurant was really to find a place for our staff to land.”
The staff being Chef Phillippe de Montburn and Sommelier Mathilde Coquin, who likewise boast impressive resumes. Montburn worked under Gushue at Langdon Hall before moving to Copenhagen to perfect his skills at the three-Michelin-star restaurant Noma, run by rebel chef René Redzepi. Couquin trained extensively at several Michelin-star restaurants in France before landing at Montreal’s Europa.
The experience the team brings is world class—intimidating even—but Gushue makes it clear that, at its core, The Gate is about community. “It’s very much our goal with The Gate to be a community restaurant, and we want to continue to evolve. We’ve met some great people along the way in Flesherton who are now working for us or with us, and they’re showing us the way a little, in terms of what the people of Flesherton are looking for. We’re in the middle of trying to balance all that—how we appeal to the people from Thornbury and Collingwood and everyone else in Grey Highlands. We’re testing the waters and seeing what people are interested in.”
“It’s very much our goal with The Gate to be a community restaurant, and we want to continue to evolve.”
There’s no denying that Southern Georgian Bay has become a destination for gourmands. People are making trips from Toronto to dine at Down Home: Sumac & Salt, and it was a reservation at Collingwood’s The Pine Restaurant that introduced Gushue and Bélanger to the area. “The only reason we ended up here is because we came for dinner at The Pine, and the only place Jen could find to stay was in Kimberley. We both looked at each other and said, ‘Where the hell is Kimberley?’”
Arriving in the dark, it wasn’t until the morning that they were able to take in the views of the beautiful Beaver Valley. While walking to Heart’s for lunch, they noticed a For Sale sign outside the historic Grist Mill, or what marks the start of this delicious story.
The “crown jewel” Kimberley dream is still being pursued, with a vision that includes a wine cave, pastry bar, main floor restaurant—catering to on-the-go skiers and cyclists—and a formal dining room on the top, or what Bélanger excitedly describes as “the treehouse,” with majestic views of Old Baldy. But for now, the couple is devoted to honing The Gate.
The menu has been mostly inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, with influences from southern Italy, Turkey, Morocco and Israel, but Gushue stresses that the dishes are straightforward, with many consisting of just three ingredients. “Our focus right now is the farms in and around Flesherton,” says Gushue, listing Treesong Farm and Wild Meadows as some of the latest partners. “And we want to have a big focus on lake fish. There are about 53 varieties of fish in the Great Lakes and we want to explore that.”
The award-winning chef’s experience is expansive, but his rule for success is simple: “The only way to build a restaurant is to be different from your neighbours. We want to add to the area, we don’t want to compete. We love Justin’s Oven! We love Hearts! And at the high end, The Pine is doing a phenomenal job, so we’re trying to fill in those gaps. As far as food goes, which is so trend-oriented, there’s always lots of room for everyone.”
For both Gushue and Belanger, having their own space provides them with absolute freedom to experiment. “He’s found his stride, and the diner hasn’t seen anything yet,” says Bélanger. “There’s a comfort zone for him and Phil to really play with their creative juices. They can do anything they want with the menu at The Gate. There’s no ceiling.”
