First time restauranteurs Margaux Herder and David Lawson – both alumni of Michelin-starred restaurant, St. Lawrence – are teaming up with chef and mentor J-C Poirier to open Chez Céline at 4298 Fraser Street this Friday, May 23rd.

The Context

The 1,400 sqft, 52-seat bistro channels French-Canadian culture through the casual, communal spirit of a casse-croûte – those laid-back Québec diners known for their poutine, burgers, sugar pie, or a grab-and-go soft serve; comfort food that doesn’t explain itself. So how does that translate out west? To begin with, and most obviously, there will be Québécois-inspired dishes on the menu. And let’s be clear, this isn’t guesswork or imitation: two team members are from Québec, and the crew has spent years in the trenches together at Poirier’s award-winning French-meets-Québécois restaurant, St. Lawrence. What they’re doing here is muscle memory, not mimicry. The even bigger motivation is to capture the feeling—not just the food—of sitting down at a casse-croûte: relaxed, familiar, and surrounded by people you want to linger with over something good.

Short story: Whether you’re dropping in for a quick glass of wine and a bite, or sitting down with family for steak frites and dessert, the central motivation for Chez Céline is that you enjoy your meal without overthinking it.

The intensity is kept where it belongs, in the kitchen. A framed quote above the line says it all: “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” More than just an aesthetic principle, this mentality is carried throughout the restaurant’s entire operation, from the food and service to the space and ambience. No garnish for garnish’s sake; no abstract plating. Just good food, done right.

Chef J-C Poirier keeps it direct: “We’re not interested in challenging your brain in terms of flavour. We’re not reinventing the wheel. We’re going for the heart. Right away. We’re putting two—maybe three—components on the plate, and removing the extra. This kind of cooking needs a very mature cook. It also needs good suppliers, a strong brigade, and a good server. But it doesn’t need an overemphasis on garnish or complicated components. One thing that works to our advantage is that Quebec philosophy likes to break the rules a little bit. In cooking, that opens the door for creativity. We want some of that here. Traditional French, yes. But if a bit of maple syrup makes it better, we might try that.”

“It’s not an art show,” adds Lawson. “Your first sip or bite should tell you everything. You shouldn’t need to dissect it for ten minutes.” Herder sums it up: “In many ways, this kind of cooking is harder because there is nowhere to hide. Your ingredients and technique have to be strong enough to carry the whole dish.” But don’t let the intensity surrounding technique and simplicity fool you, these guys are out to have some fun.

Given the personalities behind it, Chez Céline’s aim to carry itself the way a good casse-croûte does makes perfect sense. These are warm yet exacting people. They want to take care of their guests and shape an experience that feels natural from the first pour to the last bite, without making a show of it. That means removing anything that might get in the way – which takes more skill than you might think.

The Menu

Every plate on the menu at Chez Céline will be built around a singular idea; for example, if it’s asparagus, it comes simply dressed — c’est ça. A piece of halibut should be seared perfectly, perhaps accompanied by sauce, but no more than what it needs.

As I understand it, the food will bring restraint, clarity, and a respect for tradition without being boxed in by it. Expect a concise menu of items such as warm olives, fennel salad, Croque Monsieur, steak and sauce aux poivres, poutine, oyster Florentine, and cavatelli with rabbit. Before all that, though, comes the bread.

The phrase casse-croûte literally means “to break a crust,” and as Lawson points out, “A proper French meal doesn’t start until you’ve broken bread.” At Chez Céline, that shows up in the housemade sourdough-hybrid, served in simple, generous ways: flatbreads topped with soft cheese (Cervelle de Canut), escargot in garlic butter, or a pissaladière with onions and anchovies. Rustic, easy to share, and not afraid to be a little playful — especially when the ingredients speak for themselves.

That same ethos of ease and simplicity carries into the drinks program. Lawson, who is a sommelier with a background in bartending and wine service across varied settings, has created a wine list designed for ease and adventure. Around 20 bottles will be open and available by the glass at any given time, with pours hovering between $12–20. Expect lesser-known producers, but not hardline French ones only. There will be some, of course, but offerings could easily jump from Corsica to the Jura, the Canaries to Vancouver Island. The common thread isn’t geography, it’s pleasure and discovery. Above all else, the wine list will be approachable and always interesting, with the occasional quirky or “out of left field” option (think unknown off-cuts with a strong emphasis on organic and biodynamic farming and winemaking practices).

Additionally, Guinness will be on tap, Crémant in the fridge, and Cinar somewhere on the bar cart. Zero-proof options are treated with the same seriousness as any other pour. “We think our non-alcoholic menu belongs on the same level as everything else,” says Lawson. “We’re excited to show people that.”

The Look

Designed by Dara Dammann Poirier, the room is simple but expressive, with just the right amount of character. The bones are classic, but the details make it personal. Burgundy leather banquettes stretch beneath warm Douglas fir shelves, where golden swans, Guinness prints, and stacks of books sit with nonchalance. This is also where the wine will be stored, backlit and in full view. “We didn’t want to hide the bottles,” says Dara Dammann Poirier. “They help set the tone. They fill the space. They bring the energy.”

The white coffered ceiling and glossy black wainscoting strike a clean balance between tradition and modernism, while vintage glass light fixtures cast a soft, yellow glow that reads more “dinner party” than “dining room”. The team has added pony walls and dividers to ground the space, as well as offer tidy storage solutions. The hex-tile floor and traditional bentwood chairs nod to the classic French bistro, but the energy is undeniably present-day. Nothing shouts for attention, but there’s personality everywhere — right down to the vintage dog figurines, Labatt mirror, and hockey prints.

Of the 50+ total seats, just four are situated at the compact bar. Dishware is typical French diner-style, but with playful details, like cardboard poutine bowls featuring Céline’s signature dog stamped on them. Speaking of the branding (created by Montreal-based Frankie Latour Dammann of Deux Huit Huit), the dog says it all: a simple line drawing of a happy pup on a bold red background. Confident, friendly,  never try-hard, and just the right amount of cheeky. It feels timeless without taking itself too seriously.

The Takeaway

From what I’ve seen in the room, heard in conversation, and know of this team’s background, that’s exactly what they’re building here. Chez Céline sets the stage for you to fully drop into the meal, the moment, and the conversation. The food will be precise because it’s meant to support the experience, not distract from it.

In Vancouver, a handful of restaurants already execute this really well. But there’s always room for one more place you can walk into for oysters and Champagne on a Wednesday without overthinking it. I’m looking forward to visiting Chez Céline often.

Chez Céline opens its doors at 4298 Fraser Street on Friday, May 23rd, 2025.
The restaurant will operate Wednesday through Sunday.
Brunch is on the horizon, but dinner service only to start.
While limited reservations will be available, half the seats will be held each night for walk-in guests only.

Chez Céline

Neighbourhood: Fraserhood

4298 Fraser St.

778-760-8003

WEBSITE