Ciao Dec/Jan 2016 number one hundred one | Page 42

inthekitchen
foods. “Everything I was exposed to made
me realize that food and wine is such an
inherent part of defining our culture,” he
says. “I started to see it as a conduit for
people to interact, socialize, and celebrate.”
Norm has taken this notion one step
further by offering a menu that reflects
the multicultural make up of the city. On
this culinary common ground, Moroccan
lamb shank might share the table with
butter chicken, Greek-style burgers, and
pork belly with spicy adobo sauce. “At a
time when restaurants wanted to have a set
of offerings for a particular demographic,
we didn’t want to do that. We wanted to be
something for everybody,” he says.
His talent for combining cultural
techniques and f lavours has impressed
more than the locals ; it earned him
accolades at the prestigious Gold Medal

Norm to join them. Their Brit-inspired
pub and restaurant soon became a
neighbourhood gathering place, solidifying
Norm’s reputation for drawing diners with
upgraded traditional favourites.
W hen t he icon ic Papa G eorge’s
restaurant on the busy intersection of
River and Osborne closed its doors after
35 years in business, the The Grove team
was approached to replicate the restaurant’s
success. “I told Miles, we have to do it,” says
Norm. “It’s going to be tight, but we have to
take a chance.”
A rarity for a young business, expanding
to a second location was seamless. Norm
and Miles were able to draw on the talents
of Norm’s wife, Kristel, to take over as head
chef at The Grove. The Red River Culinary
Arts grad and pastry chef, who also trained
under Chef Murakami at St. Charles,

“Food and wine is such an inherent part of defining our
culture.”
Plates competition, in the form of silver
and gold medals. He wowed the judges in
2015 with a confit of salmon topped with
bacon, quinoa, salmon roe, and pickled
shallots, resting on a delicate Japanese
omelette. The hip hop devotee equates his
revamped recipes to remixing music, like
his fried chicken sandwich with the fixings
from a Vietnamese bahn mi, or pickerel a
la munière reproduced with the addition
of caper brine and deep fried capers for
crunch.
The French classic was one of the first
dishes he learned to prepare when he
began his career at the St Charles Country
Club, under the tutelage of culinary
legend Takashi Murakami. Norm went
on to cook at Sputino’s for four years,
followed by a short-lived but intense run
at Fazzo on Corydon. That’s where he met
and cemented a friendship with his nowbusiness partner Miles Gould.
Three months after the demise of Fazzo,
Miles called to say he and his wife Danielle
had an opportunity to open The Grove
in the heart of Crescentwood, and asked

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ciao! / dec/jan / two thousand sixteen

brought experience from eight years
helping to build the fine dining reputation
of Sydney’s at The Forks.
While The Cornerstone’s principles
and ambiance mirror The Grove, efforts
were made to keep the location distinct
through its industrial, loft-like décor of
muted colours, brick accents, and polished
stainless steel. An open kitchen showcases
a tight-knit, collegial team clearly in love
with its craft.
The inviting atmosphere has also
drawn an unexpected clientele: industry
colleagues who want to unwind after a
hard day. Long after other kitchens have
closed, The Cornerstone is open, offering
fellowship and delicious fusion fare.
A s t h e ho l i d a y s a p pr o a c h a n d
Winnipeggers seek a spot for impromptu
gatherings or respite from the crush of
shopping, The Cornerstone will continue
to draw in crowds. Like a family pot luck or
a meal with friends, this local gem offers a
place to call home, encouraging memories
made with a glass of wine and a soulful
plate of food.