Derek Dammann, who learned his craft with Jamie Oliver among others, is the talented chef at the helm of Maison Publique. Located in the heart of Montreal’s Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood, this renowned English gastropub has been named one of Canada’s Top 100 best restaurants!

The Maison Publique concept

Derek dreamt of a 100-year-old tavern! He spoke of his project in these terms to the architect tasked with renovating the building that now houses his restaurant, Maison Publique.

He had many wishes: to offer a space where future regulars would have so much fun they would lose track of time, mesmerized by snowflakes swirling outside the window on a cold winter day; to create a festive bar atmosphere ideal for friends to come in and watch a hockey game on the big screen; to make it a welcoming place for families to gather around brunch on a lovely summer day, taking in the delicate fragrance of nearby flowers and gardens wafting in through the wide-open windows. In short, he wanted each season to enhance in its own way the warm and rustic settings of this true British neighbourhood gastropub!

Maison Publique finally opened its doors in 2012. Of Anglo-Saxon inspiration, the restaurant is renowned for its small plates meant for sharing, for the incomparable freshness of its ingredients and for the exceptional quality of the local, seasonal products it uses. It quickly became one of Montreal’s must-try spots!

Fun fact: There is a good chance your table will be located in a former stable since once upon a time, the building was used to keep horses!

Derek DAMMAN – “What I really want in the end is to make people happy.”

Derek began his career at Zambri’s, a restaurant located in his hometown of Victoria, British Columbia. This first experience taught him invaluable lessons: to give the utmost importance to the quality of local ingredients and to focus on cooking styles that truly let flavours shine through.

Hit by wanderlust, he flew to London, England, where he visited a number of restaurants. Just a few days before he was due to return to Canada, he stopped by Jamie Oliver’s famous Fifteen restaurant. A chat with the waitress about his passion for cooking and his job search led to a quick interview with the sous-chef as soon as his meal was over. After a trial run in the kitchen, he was hired!

The adventure ended after four wonderful years, when his visa expired. Derek decided to start travelling again... stopping among other places in the kitchen of the Fat Duck, a Michelin 3-Star restaurant! He then came back to Canada and settled down in Montreal, where he found love. Enamoured with the city, he became chef at the Mansfield, then at the DNA, before starting his own business.

“I had always worked a little for Jamie since moving back to Canada. He put me in charge of his catering events. We catered the Oscars party for three years,
as well as Brad Pitt’s surprise 40 th birthday party. He trusted me. I told him about my restaurant idea, and he loaned me money to launch the business.”

Derek at home !

His most popular recipes can now be enjoyed every day!

• The Bomba sauce, improvised for a staff meal, has become the restaurant’s signature condiment. This delicious sauce is perfect with chicken wings, among many other dishes!
• The Roast sauce is truly versatile and flavourful, a great match for all types of meats and fatty fish!
• The Cucumber vinaigrette, a restaurant classic, is ideal to enhance raw vegetable salads, salmon, etc. A feast for your taste buds!
   

As a guest in the Favuzzi kitchen, Derek shared some culinary inspiration!

Source : www.theguardian.com