dining room at Gather, people eating at several tables while servers walk throughout

Globally Inspired Modern Prairie Cuisine

Around the world, people gather with food for celebration, ceremony, and connection. Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar, located in The Leaf at Assiniboine Park, explores food from across cultures, incorporating fresh, locally-sourced, and seasonal ingredients from our gardens. Craveable dishes incorporate traditional flavours and techniques from around the world, inspired by the nature that surrounds us all. Pickled, preserved, fermented or straight off the vine, local ingredients are creatively prepared to highlight the amazing growers and farmers in Manitoba. Inventive, botanical cocktails made with herbs grown in-house, seasonal fruits, and house-made syrups will delight the senses.

Chef Mike poses smiling in front of the Gather kitchen

Meet the Chef

Chef Mike de Groot has worked at Assiniboine Park for over a decade; at the Park Café, as Banquet Chef at The Pavilion, and now as Chef at Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar. Chef Mike embraces the opportunity to immerse himself in the rich cultural diversity of our community, using food as a means of connection. At Gather, he spearheads a concept that celebrates local and diverse flavors. Chef Mike's culinary philosophy revolves around simplicity and thoughtfulness. He explores various approaches to a single ingredient, and skillfully enhances the depth of flavor in his culinary creations. He continuously surprises diners with inventive techniques, such as fermentation, dehydration, pickling, and smoking, resulting in unforgettable culinary experiences.