What happens when
an esteemed French chef from Monte Carlo and an
award-winning pastry chef of Italian descent fall in love?
Gourmandissimo is born.
Gourmand: French, "a connoisseur of good food".
-issimo Italian, "utmost, to the highest grade".
OUR PASSION
At Gourmandissimo we are deeply devoted to our culinary roots and take great pride in bringing a passion for food and service to our customers and the residents of Headwaters.
When visiting the shop, we have a large selection of savories, sweets and soups in individual or family sized servings, fresh or frozen. For the bigger occasions in life, we work closely with every client to plan and design a menu that ensures your event is memorable and personal. Milestone birthday party, corporate event, large countryside outdoor wedding or fun backyard barbecue, we take pride and care in delivering the best food experience for you and your guests.
OUR BACKGROUND
Gilles is a classically trained chef from France. He apprenticed at the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo catering to celebrities and royalty alike. After completing his apprenticeship, Gilles continued to work in Monte Carlo as well as France, Rome, Munich, Milan and Geneva before transferring to Toronto with Mövenpick Restaurants.
Adriana grew up in Toronto as part of a large Italian family where life revolved around creating and sharing great meals. She trained as a professional pastry chef at George Brown College and was ranked the top graduate for her field in all of Canada. Shortly after graduating, Adriana opened a wholesale pastry company subcontracting to Toronto's top caterers.
Gilles and Adriana met at Mövenpick. After marrying, they opened Gilles' Bistro at Bay and Scollard, proudly serving the distinguished Yorkville crowd for 8 years. In 1999 they made the big move to Caledon East and launched Gourmandissimo, where both their business and family have grown.
OUR BUSINESS
Gourmandissimo has been proudly serving the Caledon community and surrounding area since 1999. They have received numerous awards and accolades for their culinary talents, presentation and service as well as for their contributions to many local causes. Gilles and Adriana believe strongly in giving back to their community and are grateful for the enriching experiences this has brought to them and their family.
In 2006, Gourmandissimo took on the role of exclusive caterers to the Best Western Plus in Orangeville. This partnership allows them to host many corporate events, fundraisers and weddings to groups of up to 280 guests. Visit our venues page to see where else you can enjoy the Gourmandissimo experience.
OUR EXPERIENCE
As executive chef, Gilles leverages his skills and experience to create menus that are influenced by access to fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. Gilles' cooking philosophy it really quite simple, "Start with fresh top-quality ingredients and let them shine on the plate." No quick shortcuts here, all our sauces, dressings, soups...are made from scratch in-house to ensure a top quality finished product, free of chemicals and fillers.
One of Gilles' secret passions is chocolate. Today alongside Adriana and their team, they create a multitude of everyday and seasonal delights made with the finest Belgian chocolate. In addition to the large selection of chocolate barks, truffles and molded specialty chocolates, Gourmandissimo is famous for its Belgian chocolate dipped sponge toffee…also affectionately known as ‘Caledon Crack’. It is truly addictive!
Adriana heads up the sweet side of the business, designing delectable desserts for seasonal menus as well as beautiful wedding and specialty cakes. French macarons, tarts, beautiful pies and cakes are regular features in the shop’s display cases. Our team is always busy keeping up with orders for our famous butter tarts that are often requested as wedding party favors.
Truth be told, these days much of Adriana's talent is spent organizing and executing the weddings and catered events, they have become known for. Her attention to detail and resourcefulness make Gourmandissimo more than just a caterer. It's a partnership in planning of that very special day.