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Calgary Herald

Parker: Gatsby's bringing Roaring '20s-style fine dining to The Oliver in downtown Calgary

When the Luca Restaurant opened in The Oliver, it quickly became recognized for its upscale dining environment and its premium Italian fare. On May 22, The Fleetwood Group will welcome diners to another venue in The Oliver — Gatsby's. Article content Gatsby's is an intimate dining establishment that can best be described as ultra fine dining offered within the age of top service. The décor reflects the era of seeking new wealth, pleasures and changing societal norms that F. Scott Fitzgerald captured in his famous novel, The Great Gatsby. Article content Article content A reflection of the quality is in its House of Hazelwood Scotch. Phil Keene, director of Hazelwood, says Gatsby's is the only restaurant in the world accredited to exclusively offer The Old Confectioner's 44-year-old aged, walnut coloured Scotch whisky. Article content Generations of the Gordon family have carefully laid down stocks of whisky for personal occasions and personal consumption for almost 100 years. For the first time, this once private collection is being offered to those outside the immediate family, in small batches hand-selected for release. The youngest Hazelwood available in the Launch Collection at Gatsby's is 39 years old. Article content Article content On the same floor as the cocktail bar are just two tables with chairs for eight guests, and down the elegant stairway you will find seating for another 26. Article content Intimate and exclusive for sure, as Gatsby's has its own kitchen where Fleetwood's culinary director Michael Dekker is pleased to introduce Gatsby's chef de cuisine, Asher Wilson. Article content Born in Calgary, Wilson moved to Toronto to attend university for his degree in political science, but working during his studies as a busboy, he enjoyed the hospitality industry. Article content After further studies in sustainability and environmental stewardship in Copenhagen, Wilson worked for a time in an urban farming project in Canada but then decided his passion was in the restaurant business. He took an apprenticeship and joined La Banane, a Michelin Guide Restaurant in Toronto, as a line cook. Article content He worked his way up to be chef de cuisine during the time it was judged in the top 100 Canadian restaurants. Article content His brand-new kitchen at Gatsby's is small but well designed, incorporating a Japanese charcoal grill. Wilson and his five staff intend to explore Canadian cuisine with a French influence, seasonally inspired with the best ingredients from farmers across Western Canada.