POINT PLEASANT BEACH - Moussa Bass, owner of Daniel’s Bistro in Point Pleasant Beach, faced hardship early in his life after his father passed away from cancer when he was just 16 years old.

“I had some time to grieve for my father and I honestly did not know what to do at that point, as far as what to do next,” said Bass, who was living in Paris with his parents, who owned a restaurant. “I was too young to think of the future, but fortunately, my father’s head chef, Jean Pierre, took me under his wing and brought me to help him out at some of the other restaurants that he would eventually work at himself. He was like a guiding light. It was something I needed at that age.”

After forming a bond with Jean Pierre, Bass would go along with Pierre to work at the Sofitel hotel chain in Paris and in Bamako, capital of the African nation of Mali.

“I was still going to school during the week at the time,” Bass said. “I would work at the hotel on the weekends. I did that for about two years and then worked at the Africa location during the summers. I would make good money and I could see my family at the same time. I was also going to culinary school in France for three years at Le Cordon Bleu Paris. I had a lot going on at that time, but I balanced everything out and made it work. I was determined.”

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While at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, Bass learned the science of food. It was something that he became interested in and wanted to learn more about as he went along.

“It was all about using my instincts and knowing how everything came together,” Bass said. “I learned that food had its own chemistry. Certain kinds of foods go together, and others do not. I wanted to become a master of my craft and know exactly how to prepare food for my customers, as there is more to it than meets the eye.

'A method to the madness'

"All food breaks down into categories and it is important to understand the makeup of which flavors and ingredients blend well," Bass said. "The customer will be able to tell once they consume the product, so I knew, as the chef, to be informed about the very food I prepared and served. There was always a method to the madness and knowing how to make everything I cooked come out just right.”

In 1994, Bass graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Paris and couldn’t be happier with his accomplishments.

“I was proud of myself and happy that I saw it through to the end,” Bass said. “I had the proof in the pudding, so to speak, that I was qualified to be a real competent chef and know my way around the kitchen. I put in a lot of hard work and my experience there was bittersweet. I became the best version of myself, and I put my skills to the test.”

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After graduating, Bass went to work at Planet Hollywood in Paris. He was there for about six months before he was offered to transfer to the location in New York City.

“I put in my time there and put my best foot forward,” Bass said. “I felt like the other employees were a little nonchalant. They were mainly there for the paycheck, instead of taking pride in their work. I would be with that company for almost a year, but ultimately, I walked away after a short time.”

In time, Bass found himself working for the Food Network.

“I started doing research and development for them,” Bass said. “One of their chefs would do an episode on chili peppers, so my team and I would go to the farmer’s markets and get as much information about chilis as possible. We would come back and supply that chef with all the background knowledge that we could on chile peppers or whatever the food topic was for that episode. It was very involved, and we put a lot of time and effort into it. In the end, I felt that I excelled at what I did, and it was something about the job that I liked. It was right up my alley.”

The Food Network required a lot of travel, and he wanted to stay closer to home as e started to raise a family, so he left in 2012. Bass worked at some local restaurants, and eventually decided he had what it took to go into business for himself at one of his favorite restaurants, Daniel’s Bistro in Point Pleasant Beach.

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'It was all mine'

“I wanted to do what I knew I could, in terms of being in business for myself,” Bass said. “My wife and I went to dinner there a couple of times. I introduced myself to the owner and I offered to take over his location in Point Pleasant Beach. At first, he declined, but later, he eventually agreed to let me take ownership of the place because he was looking to get out of the business. After doing some remodeling to the inside of the space, I became the owner in November of 2022. It was all mine, and I was happy to take it over.”

Bass promises that the menu at Daniel's Bistro is diverse, but everything is cooked to the customer’s liking.

“We offer duck breast, filet mignon, New York strip steak, sea scallops and grilled veal just to name a few of our specialty dishes,” Bass said. “It has taken all my experience and time and effort to make this restaurant what it is today. It’s a part of me and it’s everything I have learned over the years from when I was a teenager. I love seeing people come in and leave with a smile on their faces. It makes my day.”

Bass has accomplished a lot so far, but he does not plan to stop anytime soon.

“We want to give the best food and service that we can offer here at the Jersey Shore,” Bass said. “Right now, we are doing well, and we want to continue to serve our loyal customers. It is a pleasure to continue this legacy from the original owner and we have so much more room to grow.”

Daniel's Bistro

Location: 115 Broadway, Point Pleasant Beach

Phone: 848-242-2544

Website: www.danielsbistronj.com

Hours: 4 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays; 4 to 8:30 p.m. Sundays

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Daniel's Bistro in Point Pleasant Beach has new owner from Paris