Marrying French flavours with B.C. seafood.
Chef Jean Francis Quaglia’s debut at the B.C. Seafood Festival will be about delicious sustainability.
At age eight, Jean Francis made his first “Tarte au Citron” using his mother’s recipe. At 16 years old, he enrolled at the prestigious École Hôteliere de Marseille. Jean-Francis comes naturally to the culinary world, the son of acclaimed Chef Suzanne Quaglia of Marseilles’ famed Le Patalain.
Jean Francis’s resume is impressive.
- His apprenticeship started at Hôtel Sorbitel in Marseilles
- Next, he honed his skill in his mom’s restaurant before heading off to the Côte d’Azure, Monte Carlo, where he started as Commis de Cuisine under the direction of Chef Bruno Caironi – formerly Sous Chef to 3-Michelin Stars Alain Ducasse.
- Chef Jean Francis then went on to work with Chef Elie Mazot at Relais et Chateau’s Le Chateau de la Chevre D’Or in Eze.
- Jean Francis’s next chef-diaries took him to work as Chef de Partie Tournant, under the direction of 2-Michelin-Stars Chef Dominique LeStanc at Hôtel Negresco.
- In 1990, Chef JF fell in love with Alessandra Mossa.
- In 1992, Alessandra and JF moved to Canada, got married and started their Canadian journey.
- Jean-Francis’ Canadian chef-diaries began as Sous Chef under Bruno Born at Le Coq D’Or in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood. During Jean-Francis tenure there, the restaurant won the coveted award of “Best French Restaurant” at the annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards.
- 1994, saw Jean Francis as Chef de Cuisine of Azure Seafood Restaurant at the Sheraton Wall Centre. After that it was chef of Indigo Bistro Moderne.
- Chef Jean Francis left the Sheraton Wall Centre to pursue his and Alessandra’s dream to open a place of their own. Provence Mediterranean Grill was born in the Point Grey neighbourhood, Vancouver, on December 17, 1997.
- In 2002 Jean Francis and Alessandra took the plunge, and opened a second location on the seawall of Yaletown where when the sun shines over the adjacent marina, it feels like one is on the Côte d’Azure. Welcome to Provence Marinaside.
- Ten years later TWB was launched within Provence Marinaside, and Yaletown had it’s very first waterfront wine bar.
- 2015, Provence Marinaside underwent a full renovation from the ground up. Along with the new look, came a new focus to make Provence Marinaside the best wine programs in the city. With 48 newly installed wine taps, and more than 200 wines available by the glass, it’s no surprise that the wine list has received numerous awards.
“At Provence Marinaside we offer the perfect marriage between the flavours and seafood of the South of France and our Canadian West Coast. Our Chef’s and Sommeliers collaborate to create menus that highlight amazing food and wine pairings, celebrating seasonal produce and sustainable Ocean Wise seafood.”
When it comes to lauding sustainable seafood, Jean Francis is one of the premier chefs to have led the way, the Ocean Wise way. His concern for local, sustainable, seasonal and fresh has always been the utmost importance to the chef for his restaurants . In the seventeen years of Provence’s concept he has always made “sustainable” the focus of his dishes. Provence was among the first 10 restaurants to be a part of Ocean Wise.
Chef Jean Francis has also been involved in the spot prawn festival for ten years.
“I love the spot prawn festival, not only because it is delicious, but also because it is sustainable and seasonal,” said the chef.
More chefs, than ever before, care about sustainability, and that makes chef Jean Francis proud to have been at the forefront of this movement, and prouder still to know that more and more chefs are on board and leading the way into a sustainable future.
He believes the customers are an integral part of this movement, because they have been educated for almost 15 years about the Ocean Wise program.
“Ocean Wise labelling, and the promotion of choosing sustainable seafood can be found on the shelves and on multiple social media platforms. The customers are educated and they care about making the right choice when dining out,” said Chef Jean Francis.
This is Chef Jean Francis’s first time at the BC Seafood Festival.
Chef Jean Francis will be serving up Local Prawn Provencal, which promises to be a mouth-watering dish of fresh prawns sautéed with garlic, parsley, and lemon juice, and finished with a brandy flambé.
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