One of Canada’s most celebrated chefs, Jamie Kennedy is known for his legendary commitment to environmental issues and his support for organic agriculture, local producers and traditional methods. This translates into choices about the fish we buy, the meat and vegetables we serve and increasingly the wines we choose to offer. Jamie makes every effort to minimize the impact of our operations on the environment and we are continuously on the look out for like-minded suppliers and better methods of work.
His respect for traditional practices exerted its influence early on in Jamie Kennedy’s culinary endeavors, precipitating his decision to pursue an apprenticeship. Having graduated from the apprenticeship program at George Brown in 1977, Jamie finessed his training and experience as Journeyman Cook in Europe from 1977 to 1979. Returning to Toronto, Jamie opened what is now one of Toronto’s most renowned and respected restaurants, Scaramouche. Modeled on the French three-star system, Scaramouche was heralded as a new phase in Canadian culinary history and solidified Jamie’s reputation as a pioneer of contemporary Canadian cuisine. However, it was not until 1985 when he opened Palmerston Restaurant and established relationships with a number of local artisan producers that Jamie began to identify and develop what would become his own definitive style. From 1994 to 2003, this style became the distinguishing feature of J.K. ROM at The Royal Ontario Museum.
In 2003, JK Kitchens was successfully launched at 9 Church Street becoming home to both Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar and a private event space. Offering tasting-sized portions and an extensive wine-by-the-glass list, the Wine Bar was named one of "Toronto’s Top 20 Restaurants" in the April 2006 issue of the respected Toronto Life Magazine.
To satisfy demand for a more elaborate à la carte menu and allow patrons to make reservations, Jamie Kennedy Restaurant was opened in August 2005. The seasonally driven menu offers Kennedy's unique Canadian interpretation of international classics and has been met with critical acclaim.
In June 2006, Jamie Kennedy at The Gardiner was unveiled in the newly renovated Gardiner Museum. Open daily for lunch as well as on Friday evenings for dinner, Jamie continues his long-standing tradition of serving seasonal fare to eager patrons. Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner also houses a private event space, providing an elegant atmosphere for friends, colleagues and family to come together and enjoy Jamie’s cuisine before a picturesque backdrop of the Toronto skyline.
More recently, Jamie has opened up two new outlets for his creativity: The Gilead Café and Bistro. The Café opened first in June, 2008 and the bistro just a few months ago in January, 2010.
Award winning chef Karen Vaz began her cooking career at the age of six with her appearance on the T.V. show "Just Like Mom", her tuna salad sandwich causing quite a stir among the studio audience. Some years later she graduated from the Culinary Arts program George Brown College and after apprenticing at several restaurants became the chef at The Rebel House where she has remained for the past five years. Karen’s seasonal menu and use of local fresh ingredients has garnered positive reviews in Toronto Life, The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail and other publications.
For more than fifteen years the Rebel House has been Rosedale’s favourite spot to relax. We serve only local home-grown foods and offer 16 micro beers on draught. Rated by Toronto Life as one this cities best "gastro pubs". The RH also features the unique Parachute Patio in summer. Our staff is always happy to welcome new guests to the House. For daily specials -and upcoming events- check the website; www.rebelhouse.ca. We look forward to serving our local favourites to our local favourites for many years to come.
Cooking for Chef Mark Cutrara is like making beautiful music.
"Ingredients are the most important part of cooking, like notes are the most important part of music," says Cutrara. "If you bring together the right ingredients, you’ll create food that people will love. Like music, good food has the ability to take you back to a perfect moment in your life."
After graduating with honours from chef school, Cutrara worked with some of Toronto’s best chefs including Jamie Kennedy of JK ROM and JK Kitchens, Eugene Shewchuk of Messis and Rocco Agostino of Silver Spoon.
Under the mentorship of these chefs, Cutrara learned to respect food and where it comes from.
"They taught me to place the utmost importance on my food buying decisions," he says. "The buying choices I make as a chef count in the quality of the food that I create. They also helped me understand that using local, fresh, seasonal ingredients equals more flavour."
Inspired by turn of the century French bistros, Cowbell owners Mark Cutrara and Karin Culliton have created an atmosphere of comfort, originality and fun in their very own neighbourhood of Parkdale. Chef Cutrara is dedicated to serving fresh, simple food. Cowbell's chalkboard menu changes daily to reflect the availability and freshness of their ingredients. Cutrara and his kitchen are working almost exclusively with naturally-raised, organic meat and produce, sourced from local farmers. Cutrara purchases whole animals, butchers, smokes and cures his meat on the premises. And he churns his own butter!
Chef Brad Long is one of Canada’s favourite home-grown culinary talents. Dynamic co-host of The Food Network’s Restaurant Makeover; former Executive Chef at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and crusader for truth in cooking, Chef Long has dazzled the palettes of some of the world’s most discerning diners including top pro athletes, political heavy-weights, stars and everyday food lovers. Now everyone can experience the cooking that made Chef Long famous.
Welcome to Veritas where Chef Long makes sustainability stylish. Veritas, meaning truth, features a delicious menu that blends Chef Long’s elegant style of cuisine with a commitment to sustainability and locally-produced, healthy, nutritious food – including seasonal vegetables from Chef Long’s own farm start-up. Please come in to savour the best that Canada has to offer. And now you have the opportunity to try ‘My Place’: a Canadian Pub from Brad Long. Enjoy!
Chef Marc Breton is a classically trained French chef with over 30 years of professional experience. Chef Breton learned his love of food from his French Canadian parents as he grew up cooking at home. He says, "My frustration is that what grows in your backyard has become a 'delicacy' sought after by Chefs. We need to collectively reconnect with local producers to turn the tables on what’s available for our kitchen tables". Chef Breton's style of cuisine is based on using fresh, local, seasonal ingredients. Breton and his team present à la carte and catering menus which celebrate eating locally and sustainably, supporting strong partnerships with local food producers. In 2007, the Toronto Food Policy Council recognized Chef Breton with a Local Food Hero Award for leading the Gladstone’s annual "Harvest Wednesdays" series of culinary events inspired by the hotel’s membership in a local Community Shared Agriculture Farm.
Chef Breton has participated alongside other celebrated Toronto Chefs in several events showcasing local and sustainable approaches to cuisine including:
April 2008 Brewers Plate
April 2009 Brewer’s Plate
The Gladstone Hotel is a unique urban hotel providing both travelers and Torontonians with a truly authentic experience of the local creative culture. Visitors can experience the comforts of the hotel's thirty-seven artist-designed guest rooms, attend art related, social, or corporate events held in our versatile venues, eat and drink in the Gladstone Hotel Café and Melody Bar and then step out into the heart of the city's vibrant art and design neighbourhood.
Brook Kavanagh first began working with food as a butcher's apprentice at the tender age of 14. His fascination with all that may be eaten led to a formal culinary education at Toronto's George Brown College, and an apprenticeship at the Rosewater Supperclub. His style of cooking stems from an appreciation of the importance of all that goes into creating a dish. The infinite variables one might control in the journey from seed selection to mouth injection. From the variety of beet the farmer chooses to plant, to the soil in which it is grown, to the care taken in its harvest, the quality of its storage, and the procedure by which the cook may make that particular beet taste best. Though in order to try his food first hand it is best to eat at La Palette, the romantique bistro on Kensington's Augusta Ave. Or get on his mailing list and be invited to one of his unique food tastings, such as the Local Organic Solar Picnic he created in June with the Guerrilla Gourmet, or the seven course tasting of the local harvest meal he made and served this past September. To get on the list email chefbrook@hotmail.com
La Palette is a cosy bohemian bistro tucked away in the vibrant cultural mecca of Toronto's Kensington Market. The small room let's us put love & attention to detail into the dining experience and our 8 years here have won us great reviews & devoted regulars. The menu draws inspiration from French cuisine and features artisanal products from Ontario and Quebec. In addition to delights for the vegetarian and seafood lover alike, you will find comfort food classics like duck confit, steak/frites & horse tenderloin (!) as well as daily specials that feature great Canadian game like bison, elk, venison & wild boar. We also feature an everchanging selection of over a dozen wines by the glass in addition to an extensive cellar-list and over 50 rare beers from Europe and North America. We are open for dinner everyday, reservations recommended, and also serve brunch Saturday & Sunday.
Michael Steh is executive chef of reds bistro & wine bar in downtown Toronto’s financial district. Steh’s individual style has elevated reds’ repute as an exciting dining experience and dining destination. He has been heralded as one of Toronto’s rising young chefs, and is a committed supporter of local producers and farmers.
Steh has an affinity to the farm – as his own culinary start began on one in rural Oshawa where he tended to fruit orchards and livestock. Raised by Slovenian-born parents, he had the privilege of learning him first-hand how to press wine, can fruit and smoke meat – methods he deploys today to make reds’ kitchen distinct. Steh acknowledges these early experiences, and time-honored European traditions as the backbone of his culinary talent.
"Knowledge of food, passion for cooking and a strong work ethic are an essential combination for success in this business. You can teach someone to cook, and you can inspire them to be passionate," says Steh. "But you can’t teach work ethic. That has to come from within."
Despite experiences working in kitchens as a teen, Steh first pursued an education in engineering. He recognized his passion and skill for working with food and shifted focus to the culinary arts, first as an apprentice at Toronto’s lauded Canoe. He excelled to the role of sous chef at Biff’s Bistro, before departing to build a new fine dining restaurant in the skiing destination of Collingwood, Ontario. He served as executive chef there, and participated in the concept, design, construction and management of the restaurant.
The culinary diversity and excitement of Toronto beckoned Steh to return to work alongside Susur Lee at Susur. He later moved to Splendido where he served as executive sous chef until 2006, when he joined reds bistro & wine bar as executive chef.
Steh has been appeared on Canada AM, and has been featured in numerous articles including the cover of Dining Out magazine, the cover of the National Post’s Toronto magazine, as well as articles and reviews in Toronto Star, Toronto Life, The National Post and The Globe & Mail.