The old adage of 'good friends, good food and good wine' is a living credo for Chef, Jean-Charles Dupoire and Sommelier, Sylvain Brissonnet. It is also the inspiration for their new restaurant, Loire Restaurant.

Sylvain and Jean-Charles grew up in France's Loire Valley and have been friends since early childhood. Spending their formative years in a culture rich with food and wine gave them an opportunity to cultivate their tastes and truly learn what a good dining experience could be.

Over the years, their respective culinary educations and international experiences refined them as professionals in their fields.

After many years of working together, creative discussions about how to marry food and wine led the pair to develop a dream of owning and operating their own restaurant. Together they envisioned a place where Jean-Charles could apply his creative skills to the demands and rigors of his own kitchen. Sylvain longed to work with a chef who understood that even the best cuisine could be elevated if the menu and the wine list were crafted to be a true reflection of each other.

Once they had a goal in sight, Sylvain and Jean-Charles began steadily working towards it. Sometimes together and sometimes separately, they each spent over 10 years amassing additional experience and preparing themselves for the day when they could start their own business.

In 2008, Jean-Charles and Sylvain decided the timing was right to settle into a community and establish themselves through their own restaurant. Pooling their resources, they identified a location in downtown Toronto on Harbord Street and the dream of a life time came to fruition. Loire Restaurant is now a reality.

Sylvain and Jean-Charles chose the name Loire because it is their original home and it is the place where their dream originated. Their palates developed on the same local food and wine and so did their inclination to share their passion with people.

Loire is a unique place to dine because it is a setting where the true marriage of good friends, good food and good wine is evident in the ambiance, on the plate and in the glass.

"If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul"