Dominque Moussu, Executive Chef and Partner, Cassis Bistro Originally from Brittany, France, Chef Moussu moved to Canada seven years ago. He visited and lived in several cities before settling in Calgary. For years, he wanted to open a French bistro and provide Calgarians with affordable, authentic French cuisine in non-pretentious surroundings. Lucky for locals, his dream was realized when he partnered with owner and operator of Cassis Bistro, Gilles Brassart. Moussu was born and raised in his parents’ restaurant in France. He still has a picture of himself when he was 3 years old in the kitchen of his parents’ restaurant, cutting meat. “I was born a chef and I will die a chef. Cooking is my life. This is something I love to do.”
Chef’s Tips: “When using puff pastry, bake the dough prior to adding the custard filling to ensure the crust stays crunchy. Then proceed to bake the quiche on low for 30-40 minutes, because a low baking temperature is preferred when cooking with ingredients such as cream, cheese and eggs. - When using pastry dough, place the mould into the fridge for half an hour or until the crust is cold. Then add the liquid ingredients in the cold crust and bake the quiche in the oven at 400º F. The higher temperature helps to set the crust so it won’t leak.”
Chef Hans S. Puccinelli, Owner Inti Peruvian Cuisine Chef Hans S. Puccinelli was born in Lima, Peru. He decided against following his family footsteps into the law profession, and instead, chose a career about which he was passionate. At the age of eighteen, he moved to Florida and worked in a series of Japanese and Chinese restaurants. When he moved to Calgary, he studied culinary arts at SAIT Polytechnic, and worked in the kitchen at the Elbow River Casino Hotel. After graduating from SAIT, he worked as a chef for the University of Calgary, Marriott Hotels, Executive Hotels and Coast Hotels before finally opening his own restaurant, Inti Peruvian Cuisine. Puccinelli puts a Peruvian twist on the traditional eggs benny. Instead of ham, he places chicharron (crispy fried pork belly) underneath the poached egg. A healthier and more flavourful substitute to hollandaise sauce, Puccinelli tops the poached egg with salsa criolla made with aji Amarillo, a Peruvian chili pepper. However, no matter how you top your eggs benny, for Puccinelli “the most important thing is to nail down that perfect poached egg”.
Chef’s Tips: “Use a deep pot to poach the egg, as distance between the yolk and the bottom of the pot will prevent breakage and leave a nice shape. - Add vinegar to the water, which will help to coagulate the egg and prevents the yolk and egg white from separating. - Once the water boils, crack the eggs into the water and then turn down the heat. The water should simmer rather than boil, as boiling water tears the egg apart. - When the eggs are done, remove them with a slotted spoon and place 18 • April 2013
them on a paper towel to remove any excess water and traces of vinegar. For easy transportation, use a paper towel to nudge the egg onto a soupspoon for final transportation to the plate. - If you are serving a large group, prepoach the eggs and place them in ice water to stop the cooking. When it is time to serve the eggs, place them in hot water until the eggs are warm.”