Gibsons food lovers will be glad to learn that two superlative culinary talents – Jack Chen and Hilary Prince – will be helming a new restaurant project in their midst.

Dubbed Brassica, the new 2,450 sqft spot at 292 Gower Point Road – currently in the opening throes of construction – will focus on local and seasonal fare. It is coming to us this Fall from Coho Collective, which operates three commissaries in Greater Vancouver, plus a cafe.

Here’s the full presser:

A new community-to-table restaurant is opening in the Sunshine Coast this fall. Located at 292 Gower Point Road in Lower Gibsons, Brassica will offer a hyper-local experience, celebrating British Columbia’s bounty of fresh, bright ingredients, all while honouring food producers, farmers, and the changing seasons of the coast.

The kitchen team is helmed by award-winning chefs Jack Chen and Hilary Prince, Halfmoon Bay residents.

“To us, the name Brassica represents so much the Coast is known for – community, warmth, and abundance,” explains Andrew Barnes, CEO of Coho Collective.” “These are also Coho values, and we are excited to be part of this community and explore all the layers within it. We look forward to sharing good food, drinks, and conversations with Sunshine Coast residents and visitors alike very soon.”

Chen has worked at several notable Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe and the United States including Birdsong, Smyth, In De Wulf, Ubuntu, Per Se, L’Autre Pied, and Ledbury.

He trained with some of British Columbia’s top luminaries, including Scott and Stephanie Jaeger of Pear Tree and John Bishop of Bishop’s, where he cultivated his passion for farm-to-table cuisine. From there, he led the kitchens at award-winning restaurants across Metro Vancouver, including L’Abattoir, Farmer’s Apprentice, and Royal Dinette. Most recently, he was the food and beverage director of Grouse Mountain Resort.

Pastry chef Prince is known for her deft hand in creating unique sweet takes on classic desserts. She spent much of her career at Vancouver’s award-winning Gastown restaurant L’Abattoir, where she worked alongside renowned chef-owner Lee Cooper and built an enviable dessert program. Previous to that, she was the first pastry chef of Quebec’s nose-to-tail restaurant DNA.

“We’re currently menu testing right now, and in the process of meeting all the talented local purveyors from the Coast,” adds Chen. “We look forward to working with them closely in creating our first seasonal menu. There is so much here to draw inspiration from, and we couldn’t be luckier to call the Sunshine Coast our home.”

The 2,450 square foot space is currently being designed by Vancouver-based Studio.CM. Brassica is working with award-winning creative studio Glasfurd & Walker on branding.

Coho Collective announced in early February it was partnering with local company Longman Developments to open a restaurant and its fourth commissary in Gibsons, featuring shared kitchen spaces for talented entrepreneurs and small businesses on the Sunshine Coast. The commissary is also expected to open this fall.