#FOOD: FICOA AND POMPETTE GROUP COLLABORATION MAY 27, 2026

Neo-Latin fine dining destination Ficoa will host a one-night-only chef collaboration with the renowned Pompette Group on Wednesday, May 27, bringing together two of Toronto’s most dynamic culinary forces for an intimate, six-course tasting experience rooted in cultural exchange, storytelling, and technique. The Pompette Group, whose Bar Pompette was recently named No. 8 on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2026 list and No. 2 on Canada’s 100 Best Bars, joins Ficoa to kick off the restaurant’s new chef collaboration series, showcasing the group’s broader identity and savoir-faire across its portfolio, which includes Bar Pompette, Bakery Pompette, and the newly launched Bar Allegro.

Set in Toronto’s Little Italy, Ficoa has quickly established itself as a rising voice in the city’s dining scene, known for its refined yet soulful interpretation of Latin cuisine and its evolving, ingredient-driven approach that balances tradition with contemporary technique. Priced at $145 per person for the tasting menu (exclusive of tax and gratuity), with optional beverage pairings available, the evening will unfold across two seatings at 5:00 PM and 7:30 PM.
Reservations available via OpenTable HERE.

About the Collaboration
The evening will mark the first in a new series of chef collaborations at Ficoa, an initiative designed to explore the diversity and evolution of Latin cuisine through dialogue with global culinary perspectives.
Each collaboration invites a guest chef or group to engage with Ficoa’s approach, creating one-night-only menus that reflect how Latin American cuisine continues to evolve through technique, migration, and cultural exchange.

The debut collaboration with Pompette Group is conceived as a journey through the Americas, expressed through the lens of French technique. The six-course menu traces a path across regions including Mexico, Peru, and Argentina, highlighting a dialogue between ancestral ingredients and European culinary influence.

Structured as an alternating exchange between chefs, each course builds on the last, revealing both contrast and cohesion in a shared culinary language.

Menu Overview
The six-course tasting menu is designed as a collaborative exchange between Ficoa and Pompette Group, with alternating courses from each kitchen:
L’Amuse de la Milpa — Blue corn pâte brisée, epazote-infused chèvre, morita piloncillo gastrique
Ceviche de Altura — Seabass, cucumber, purple potato vichyssoise, chulpi corn, pickled sweet potato purée
Asado de Veau — Veal striploin, gaucho-style sweetbreads, malbec reduction, chimi-grenobloise, celeriac purée
Short Rib Bourguignon — Caramelised onion empanada, mole jus

Halibut — Guajillo lobster bisque, plantain mousseline, roasted fennel, cilantro oil, crispy salsa macha

Dark Chocolate Ganache — Burnt pineapple, grilled corn crème anglaise, masa tuile, mezcal caramel
Together, the menu reflects a seamless interplay between French technique and Latin American ingredients, moving from land to sea to dessert in a progression that is both cohesive and exploratory.

Event Details
Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Location: Ficoa, 585 College St, Toronto
Seatings: 5:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Format: Six-course tasting menu
Pricing:
$145 per person (tasting menu)
Optional beverage pairing: $50–$55
Tickets will be available via OpenTable.

Beverage Program
The beverage program will be led by the Bar Pompette, bringing its award-winning approach to cocktails and wine into the experience. Pairings will include a mix of wine and cocktails, with one pairing per course, alongside a non-alcoholic option.

Guests will be welcomed with a cocktail featuring Valley of Mother of God Gin, included in the ticket price.

About Chef Esau Garcia
Born in Camargo, Chihuahua, Chef Esau Garcia brings over 13 years of international culinary experience spanning Mexico, Australia, and Canada. His work is defined by a balance of precision and emotional depth, rooted in traditional Mexican cooking while shaped by global technique.

Prior to joining Ficoa, Garcia held key roles in several of Toronto’s most recognized kitchens, including Madrina Bar y Tapas, Rosalinda, and Lena. At Ficoa, his approach reflects a commitment to honouring tradition while reinterpreting it through a contemporary lens.

About Chef Martine Bauer
Chef Martine Bauer is Co-Founder of the Pompette Group, the team behind award-winning Bar Pompette, Bakery Pompette, and Bar Allegro. Born in Mauritius and trained in Paris, Bauer’s culinary perspective is shaped by European technique and global experience.

Her work is grounded in precision, seasonality, and storytelling, bringing together influences of migration and place through refined, thoughtful execution.

About Ficoa
Ficoa is a neo-Latin fine dining restaurant in Toronto’s Little Italy, founded by restaurateur Patricia Toro. Known for its evolving, ingredient-driven approach, Ficoa explores Latin American cuisine through a contemporary lens, balancing tradition with innovation in both its tasting and à la carte offerings.

About the Pompette Group
The Pompette Group is a Toronto-based hospitality group behind Bar Pompette, Bakery Pompette, and Bar Allegro. Recognized internationally for its bar program and culinary perspective, the group brings together European tradition and modern hospitality.