FH0320

HOT CONCEPTS
FISHBONE
The Mediterranean seafood concept has set its sights on bigger ponds
STORY BY NICK LAWS
When Pedro Pereira emigrated from
Portugal at 18 years old, becoming a chef
and CEO wasn’t on his mind. In fact, it was
soccer that brought him to Canada.
Cooking was initially a means to supplement
his income after his coach told him
he needed to get a job, but he ultimately fell
in love with food. Fast forward a few years
and Pereira opened his first restaurant,
Fishbone, in Stouffville, Ont.
Humble beginnings characterize both
restaurant and owner, as the now-booming
restaurant started as “just another neighbourhood
restaurant” simply known as
“Pedro’s.”
Fishbone is carving out a name for itself
based on its high standards of hospitality.
“Fishbone is a product of my many years
in the business, working with some of the
best in the industry — day in and day out
— perfecting the craft of hospitality,” says
Pereira. “Like painting or music, everyone
can do it, but not necessarily well. It’s about
making a guest feel like they would be coming
into your own home; like they’ve know
you forever.”
Fishbone specializes in fresh seafood
with the menu focused on what the nearby
market has to offer.
“It’s nice to know a fish shipment from
New Zealand or Portugal was line caught
24 hours ago,” Pereira says. “You need to
stay connected to the source and heart of
the product.”
The catch of the day is displayed on ice,
cooked fresh and deboned tableside —
unique in Canadian dining.
“Deboning fish tableside for as long
as I did and being such a staple in
Portuguese cuisine, I found the name
Fishbone to be extremely fitting,” Pereira
explains,” I knew I was ready to jump
back into the upscale-dining scene with
my own restaurant, with my own philosophy,
standards and expectations.”
Those standards are high, with the
Fishbone restaurants focusing not just
on the product, but the guest experience.
“Our ability to create and foster relationships
with our guests is a big component.
The initial greeting, lighting, music choices
and volume, our verbiage, pulling the
chair out as they’re being seated… [it’s
all important]. We don’t just look at it as
a business transaction, it’s hospitality,”
Pereira says.
Nine years after the first restaurant
opened its doors in Stouffville, Fishbone
has five locations, two of them in the
Stouffville area, with other locations in
Aurora and Innisfil, Ont. One of the
Stouffville locations, Fishbone-On-The-
Lake, sits on the shores of Musselman’s
Lake and boasts a spectacular patio. The
restaurant is situated right on the water and
is open only during the summer, averaging
Quick Facts
ESTABLISHED: 2010 in Stouffville, Ont.,
AVERAGE LOCATION SIZE: 2,975 sq. ft.,
averaging 90 seats per restaurant
AVERAGE CHECK: $65
EXPANSION PLANS: The brand recently
opened in California and hopes to grow its
presence in the U.S. and southern Ontario
ARCHITECT: Den Bosch + Finchley, Toronto
PARENT COMPANY: Peartree Holdings
(clockwise from top) Pedro Pereira, owner of Fishbone;
grilled octopus; fresh fish features prominently on all
Fishbone locations’ menus; Fishbone restaurants boast a
light and airy feel; Fishbone Kitchen & Bar in Aurora, Ont.
12 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH 2020 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM