Chefs

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
Cheese and bread.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Quiche.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Bruno Gendarmes.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
Greenest City

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Someone’s a team-player.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
A smile on my customer’s face on the first bite.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
Guy Rawlings.

Your kitchen motto?
“Cook with a laugh.”
       
Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Last year: being on the flyer but not being told I was participating.

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Bio
Jason Bangerter is Executive Chef of O&B Canteen and Luma at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Classically trained in London under Chef Anton Mosimann, Bangerter cooked in Michelin-starred restaurants throughout Europe for a number of years before returning to Canada to become chef of one of Toronto’s top French restaurants, Auberge du Pommier. At the Auberge, Jason reinterpreted traditional French cuisine with modern flair and creativity. Now at TIFF Bell Lightbox, Jason draws on his classic roots to create fresh market, new world cuisine, showcasing magnificent Canadian ingredients.

Dish: Luma lobster burger with compressed cucumber, togarashi mayo and crispy shallots

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
Pasta, parmesan, Tignanello, not necessarily in that order.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Pasta.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
The cooks working beside me every day for the last 20 years .

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
The Stop.  Evergreen Brickworks. Second Harvest.  Take your pick.

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Passion for perfection.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Making dinner with my three- and five-year-olds, Christian and Sebastian.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
The Swedish chef … Bork Bork!

Your kitchen motto?
“Make it nice.”

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Being asked to participate. It is an honour. Thank you.

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Bio
Chris worked at some of some of Toronto’s top restaurants including Splendido and Avalon before spending four years in Europe working at restaurants in Italy and France, where he learned the art of simplicity in cooking. Prior to joining The Stop, Chris was Executive Chef at highly acclaimed restaurant Perigee.

(Photo by: Philipa C.)

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
Graham crackers and milk.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Pancakes.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Mr. Marie at George Brown College

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
Not Far From the Tree

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
An open mind and a willingness to share.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Large groups of chefs working together to create an amazing meal

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
Bertrand Alépée

Your kitchen motto?
Everyone can cook.

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Working with Gordon Bailey from Lot 30 in PEI last year. Scallops!

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Bio
David Chrystian is the executive chef and partner in Victor Restaurant at Hotel Le Germain, Toronto. The kitchen at Victor specializes in cooking Toronto's ethnic cuisine, presenting the Toronto Tasting menu, a seven-course small plate menu spanning the neighbourhoods of Toronto.

What's on the Table Dish: “Haute dog" Wellington

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
Baguette and cheese.

The first thing you learned how to cook? 
Chicken with raspberry sauce from the Silver Spoon cookbook for my mother’s birthday.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Mark Zimmer, sous chef at Acqua Ristorante in 1995.
               
One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
Slow Food Toronto.

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Common sense.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Passing the baton and watching the next generation of chefs excel.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
I am happy with myself—I couldn’t imagine being anyone else.

Your kitchen motto?
“Lead by example.”

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Watching Steve Song carve the porchetta last year. He was freaking out, it was really funny.

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Bio
Graham Pratt is the chef at The Gabardine in Toronto, where he serves up hearty comfort food with a great appreciation for fat and all things delicious.

What's on the Table Dish: Chicharron and pork rillette with ricotta cheese, black currants on an apple, root vegetable salad.

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
At home: Oreos and milk. If out, crispy squid with spicy salt.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
The first things I learned were from my mother. Baking. She still makes better pie dough than me.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Donna Dooher. Mildred Pierce was such a great learning environment.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
The Stop obviously. I also like the concept of Not Far from the Tree.

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
A sense of community and respect.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
A busy restaurant full of happy customers. Or cooking for my wife.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
David Chang. I love his food and honesty. He admits when things have happened by accident and I really admire that.

Your kitchen motto?
“What’s the worst that can happen?”

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Getting invited to participate this year!

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Bio
Canadian foodies know Todd Perrin as the burly, entertaining, larger-than-life Newfoundlander who made it to the Top 8 in the Food Network’s hit series Top Chef Canada 2011. Todd graduated from the Culinary Institute of Canada at Holland College in PEI and went on to work at The Lodge at Kananaskis in Alberta and then at a private hotel near Zurich, Switzerland. In 2001, he opened Two Chefs, a fine-dining eatery in St. John’s that in its first year was listed as one of the country’s Top 50 New Restaurants by enRoute Magazine. In 2008, Todd opened The Chef’s Inn, a B&B in downtown St. John’s.

Dish: A cool Ontario-meets-Newfoundland hors d’oeuvre featuring alderwood-smoked cod (with Jesse Vallins)

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
So bad for me, but after a night at the pub, a midnight fish and chips works pretty well.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Shepherd’s pie.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Loved Chef Hans from my Culinary Institute days.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
The Jimmie Pratt Memorial Soup Kitchen here in St. John’s is doing some great things.

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Someone who can have a laugh while working—very important in our biz!

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Cooking the “Petty Harbour Fish Feed” (a simple stew of cod/onions/potatoes/salt pork fat/slat beef) on my deck with friends, some cold Quidi Vidi Brewery Ale in the cooler.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
Not sure, but he/she would be a better cook than I am.

Your kitchen motto?
Same as my life motto: “Do your thing, be happy.”

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Looking forward to making my first one this year!

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Bio
Crystal Five (C5) Restaurant Lounge’s Chef de Cuisine Ted Corrado comes to the ROM with over 10 years’ experience in the culinary industry,  most recently in the position of Sous Chef at Toronto’s elite George restaurant, where he worked and trained under Executive Chef Lorenzo Loseto. Corrado graduated from the Chef Training Program at Toronto’s George Brown College in 1997, and received his first real kitchen experience as the chef at the College Street hot spot Veni Vidi Vici. He join C5 in 2006, where his menu takes its inspiration from the flavours of the city’s ethnic markets and fuses them with the fresh qualities of local Ontario ingredients.

What’s on the Table Dish: Halibut cheek tempura sandwich

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
If I’m home, Chips Ahoy and a glass of cold milk. If I’m out, Sneaky Dee’s nachos.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Betty Crocker Cakes, specializing in chocolate.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Mom and Dad.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
The Stop.

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Passion.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Good food, good wine, good company.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
The guy from The Muppet Show.      

Your kitchen motto?
“Giver!”

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Bert’s truffles 2009.

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Bio
Chef Donna Dooher, celebrated cookbook author and restaurateur, is one of North America’s leading advocates of the return to the table. With over 25 years of professional experience in the kitchen, Donna has established herself as a prominent figure in the Toronto hospitality community. Donna’s newest venture, Mildred’s Temple Kitchen in the heart of Toronto’s Liberty Village, reflects her commitment to providing locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, simply and sumptuously prepared.

 

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
Spaghetti with clams.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
My grandmother’s veal and spinach ravioli.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Rafaela Mellita.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
There are so many!

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Honesty.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Not having to wash the dishes.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
Julia Child.

Your kitchen motto?
“Cook with love and reckless abandon.”
       
Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Receiving a fresh truffle from Jeff Crump, which I proceeded to shave over the delicious gnudi we served last year. It was a true gesture of what the kitchen is all about - sharing, kindness, and camaraderie.

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Bio
What's on the Table Dish: Great Lakes fishcake eclair with wild leek tartar sauce.

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
A glass of red wine.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Omelette.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Willie Brand.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
The Stop!

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Dedication to the craft.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Working balance.

Your kitchen motto?
“Cook with love”

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Bio
Chef Batey graduated with honours from Spectrum Community School in 1997 and later completed the Culinary Arts Program at Malaspina University College, where he was awarded the Instructors’ Gold Medal. He apprenticed at Fairmont’s The Empress, and has worked at La Belle Auberge, Bacchus Restaurant and Terrace Restaurant, during which time it was chosen as one of the top winery restaurants in 2008 by Travel and Leisure Magazine. His culinary style, cuisine de terroir, celebrates the freshest regional and seasonal ingredients. 

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
Cheese!

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Pancakes.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Michael Noble.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
The Okanagan Gleaners and the Kelowna Food Bank.

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Humility, creativity.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Cooking ‘from the land’ of a small farm, showcasing the efforts of producers and reminding people what food really should taste like.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
Auguste Escoffier.

Your kitchen motto?
“For your own success to be real, it must contribute to the success of others.” – E. Roosevelt.

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Soon to be created as this is my first opportunity to participate.

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Bio
Nick started in George Brown’s Culinary Management program, and from there received an externship at Scaramouche. He worked at Scaramouche for nine years, with a one-year sabbatical in Tuscany at Casstillio Vichimaggio.  While travelling through England and Australia with his wife, he worked in such places as Rhodes on the Square, Rhodes 24, Fat Duck, Le Gavroche, St. Johns, Tetsuyas, and Long Grain. When he returned to Toronto, he became one of the sous chefs at Splendido. After 18 months, he moved to the Niagara Street Cafe, where he has been the head chef for three and a half years.

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
Biltong, South African beef jerky.  My mum makes it at home in the winter months.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Rice.  Being of Chinese descent, it’s kind of a given.

The best cooking teacher you’ve ever had?
Keith Froggett.  I grew up at Scaramouche and learnt so much from him.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
It's obvious that The Stop is doing amazing things for the city and constantly strives to educate the public on growing, cooking and eating real food.

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Passion is definitely what I look for in a fellow chef. This industry is not easy and you have to have passion in order to make it. No robot chefs allowed.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
"Culinary happiness" is up for interpretation.  My culinary happiness is a good bowl of noodles.  Also having a wife as a chef to share it with.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
I didn't even have to think about this one.  The chef I would be if I weren't myself is Cory Vitiello.

Your kitchen motto?
"Bacon’s better & fat rules"

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
My favourite memory from WOTT is not just one but all the years of doing it with Keith Froggett since it started.  I am proud to say that I have been a part of this fundraiser for many years now and I will continue to do it.

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Bio
Giorgio Taluri is a passionate food aficionado who has challenged traditional boundaries at Noce with many different menus. Chef Taluri studied culinary arts in Italy.  He worked for many years in places where he came to understand freshness of food and how it should best be utilized. He came to Toronto and put his knowledge and techniques into practice at Barolo Restaurant.  He joined Noce in 2001.
               
WOTT dish: Pumpkin gnocchi with truffled pumpkin cream and wild mushrooms.

Questionnaire
Favourite midnight snack?
Veal testina.

The first thing you learned as a cook?
How to make pasta.

The best cooking teacher I have ever had?
Guido Saldini

The quality you appreciate most in a fellow chef?
The ability to work as a team.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Customers letting me cook what I can do best.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
Gualtiero Marchesi.

Your kitchen motto?
“One team one dream”

Your best What's on the Table memory?
At one of the first events at Palais Royale, we ran out of gnocchi (we did make enough). We let the guests wait, drove back to NOCE and had the kitchen prepare more for the event!

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Bio
Chef Long has prepared meals for some of the world’s most discriminating diners, Canada’s corporate elite, political heavyweights, international celebrities and professional athletes. His culinary talent has been recognized by some of Canada’s toughest food critics and his big personality brought to bear as co-host of the Food Network & HGTV smash Restaurant Makeover. Following the opening of Toronto’s Air Canada Centre & BMO Field, Long worked 10 years for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. The launch of 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower followed five years at Toronto’s seminal Pronto Ristorante. Long recently opened Café Belong at Evergreen Brick Works and is about to renovate King East’s Veritas. When he isn't providing culinary leadership, creating menus, tasting sauces, speaking with farmers and foragers or checking the freshness of new produce, he relishes family time with his wife Sheryl (also an experienced chef) and his five young children.
               

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
A Negroni.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Eggs – I love them all and any way.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Life.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
Why would anyone answer anything but The Stop?

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
The ability to make Negronis.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
A table full of food and great people to share it with.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
Genghis Khan’s personal chef.

Your kitchen motto?
“Don’t kid yourself.”

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Anything to do with cooking, eating, talking, repeat.

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Bio
Lorenzo Loseto has built an enviable reputation as one of Canada’s premier chefs. As the Executive Chef of George and Verity, he applies his classical training and modern approach to developing innovative menus inspired by the diverse cultures of Toronto and Canada. He is devoted to the creation of exquisite and flavourful cuisine that reflects both who he is and the food he loves to cook and eat. Voted one of Toronto’s Best Chefs by Toronto Life in 2006, Lorenzo honed his skills in some of Canada’s finest kitchens before joining George in 2004. Most notably, he apprenticed at Three Small Rooms in the original Windsor Arms’ Hotel, arguably one of the best kitchens of its time, and was sous chef in Susur Lee’s legendary Lotus.

What's on the Table Dish: Lemon-thyme pettole, peppercorn bresola and harvest vegetables

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack? 
Italian shortbread and milk.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Pasta.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had? 
My mother.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
The Stop.

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Passion for food.

Your idea of culinary happiness? 
George.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
No one.

Your kitchen motto? 
“Work hard, cook what you love.”

Your best What’s on the Table memory? 
The inaugural event, held at George. 

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Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
Chicken finger sub from Robo mart in Fort Erie.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Grilled oysters with my grandfather in PEI.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
Anthony Bevan, Humber College.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
The Stop, duuuuhhhh.

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
Ambition to become the best cook they can be. No pose dawwgs!

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Seafood boil, beers, fire, loved ones.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
Chris Brown

Your kitchen motto?
“Cook everyday, learn everyday, be yourself everyday.”

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Never been. Very excited to be a part of this event!

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Bio
A native of Toronto, Jesse graduated at the top of his class in the culinary management program at George Brown College in 2000. Over the last decade he has worked in some of the top restaurants in Toronto and has spent the last five years as the chef de cuisine at Trevor Kitchen and Bar.  He is also a cool guy.

What's on the Table Dish: A cool Ontario meets Newfoundland hors d’oeuvre featuring alderwood-smoked cod (with Todd Perrin)

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack?
Bacon, beer and cheese.

The first thing you learned how to cook?
Chocolate chip cookies.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had?
No one in particular. I try to learn from every cook or chef I work with.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city?
The Stop. Is that a trick question or something?
 
The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef?
The desire to never stop learning.

Your idea of culinary happiness?
Breakfast at the Patrician grill, lunch at Caplansky's, coffee at Manic, dinner in Chinatown.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be?
The Lillydale Guy.

Your kitchen motto?
More bacon.

Your best What’s on the Table memory?
Getting to work with so many talented guys for such a great cause.

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Bio
In June of 2010 Scott was able to fulfill his dream of owning a restaurant by taking over the culinarily historical space on 96 Tecumseth Street with his wife Rachelle. Their passion of supporting local artisans is the number one philosophy at Beast Restaurant.  With a weekly changing menu, Scott allows seasonal produce and top quality Ontario ingredients to become the focal point of the gastronomic experience that is offered.

Dish: Smoked whitefish falafel with harissa mayo, radish seedling and endive

 

Questionnaire
Your favourite midnight snack? 
Cheese and crackers.

The first thing you learned how to cook? 
Pasta e fagioli.

The best cooking teacher you’ve had? 
Gabrielle Rucker.

One food organization that’s doing good work in the city? 
The Stop.

The quality you appreciate the most in a fellow chef? 
Sincerity.

Your idea of culinary happiness? 
Being able to cook the food you love.

If you were not yourself, which chef would you be? 
Grant Achatz, just to understand how his brain works.

Your kitchen motto? 
“Work hard, play hard. Life is too short to be stressed out.”

Your best What’s on the Table memory? 
Last year was my first... I was paired with the talented David Chrystian and we had a blast.  He is very inspiring and easy to work with.

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