The New Power Set: five young Torontonians on the verge of greatness
JARED MENKES, 32
The grandson of Menkes Developments founder Murray is starting to dominate the downtown condo market. He oversaw Pears on the Avenue, a Yorkville condo, then led the firm’s advance south of Bloor with Fabrik, a 16-storey building in the fashion district. Now he’s in charge of Harbour Plaza, a two-tower project in the South Core, and Noir, a 49-storey condo at King and Peter.
JAGMEET SINGH, 34
In 2011, Singh, a trilingual lawyer and mixed martial arts fighter, won Bramalea-Gore-Malton—defeating the two-term Liberal incumbent—for the NDP. He’s gained a profile by fighting for lower car insurance rates, gathering enough public support that Premier Wynne was forced to adopt the cause. Finance minister Charles Sousa has promised a 15 per cent reduction in the next two years.
ANDREW WIGGINS, 18
He’s a major reason why basketball is growing faster than hockey here (thousands of fans came to see him play at an exhibition game at McMaster). In July, he casually mentioned that he’d love to play for his hometown Raptors, triggering euphoria among Toronto’s basketball obsessives—though the stars would have to align for the Raptors to acquire the number one pick.
GRANT VAN GAMEREN, 32
Since exiting the nose-to-tail restaurant Black Hoof in 2011, the self-taught chef has left a trail of imitators trying to integrate charcuterie and offal into their menus. In March, he opened Bar Isabel at College and Ossington, where he’s branched out to offer a Spanish twist on just about anything he feels like. In true Catalan style, a line snakes out the door late into the night.
JENNA BITOVE, 29
By day, she’s a stylist at the Bay’s couture shopping nook The Room, helping socialites look their smashingest. By night, she’s a red carpet mainstay, usually wearing dresses by her favourite Canadian designers (who come to her for help). In June, the Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell came calling for advice on outfits for the MuchMusic Video Awards.
Photographs: Menkes courtesy of Menkes Development; Singh by Felix Wong; Wiggins by Jeff Jacobsen, courtesy of Kansas Athletics; van Gameren by Ryan Szluc; Bitove by George Pimentel
. In July, he casually mentioned that he’d love to play for his hometown Raptors, triggering euphoria among Toronto’s basketball obsessives—though the stars would have to align for the Raptors to acquire the number one pick.
GRANT VAN GAMEREN, 32
Since exiting the nose-to-tail restaurant Black Hoof in 2011, the self-taught chef has left a trail of imitators trying to integrate charcuterie and offal into their menus. In March, he opened Bar Isabel at College and Ossington, where he’s branched out to offer a Spanish twist on just about anything he feels like. In true Catalan style, a line snakes out the door late into the night.
JENNA BITOVE, 29
By day, she’s a stylist at the Bay’s couture shopping nook The Room, helping socialites look their smashingest. By night, she’s a red carpet mainstay, usually wearing dresses by her favourite Canadian designers (who come to her for help). In June, the Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell came calling for advice on outfits for the MuchMusic Video Awards.
Photographs: Menkes courtesy of Menkes Development; Singh by Felix Wong; Wiggins by Jeff Jacobsen, courtesy of Kansas Athletics; van Gameren by Ryan Szluc; Bitove by George Pimentel){kind=link}
So Jenna Bitove is influential because she goes to fancy parties and looks nice?
my thoughts exactly. way to choose an inspiring woman for girls to look up to toronto life.
I thought her name was naumovich.
Lol yup. And the one girl on the list…great…
I think it is, technically.
So Jenna grows up a privileged life, and spends her parents money looking good which then affords her the opportunity to spend her time as a stylist to her friends (including shay) and now spends her time prancing around red carpets… Come on Toronto Life. First of all there are so many other women who are making an actual impact on fashion in this city.. go to fashion week and talk to the girls with the headsets on who are running the entire event– seeing it from a business side– not the opportunists who are getting themselves onto guest lists. Secondly, you really couldn’t find a young woman who was impacting our community through business ventures, or doing good for our city? 4 diverse, influential men and one spoiled fashionista as a representation of the women of this city? I am a huge supporter of fashion and the arts but this is weak, and anyone truly involved in toronto fashion knows it as well.
It is NAUMOVICH. TorontoLife should get their facts straight.
Jenna has friends at Toronto Life and she probably bought her way on the list. Most influential? Seriously? You have a politician doing great things for the city, the next star basketball player, a real estate power house….and a stylist with a huge bank account. And yes, her name is Naumovich- changed to Bitove so they can suck more out of their rich uncle. If TorontoLife wants to be taken seriously as a publication, stop celebrating people who don’t deserve it but who can maybe get you on the guest list. I’m calling bullshit.
Raptors need to tank so we can draft Wiggins! and this Jagmeet Singh fellow is impressive
So two of the five members of the ” new power set ” are there through inherited wealth.
One other is a provincial MPP serving his first term. His power, if any, comes from the fact that we have a minority government. If that changes, his power will be nil.
Andrew Wiggins may become an NBA player, and even a star. Some day. And the last “power player” owns a successful restaurant.
Wow, the banks must be trembling.
Caste Indians must explain to Canadians about Christian discrimination in India! Why reservation only for Hindus and Sikhs? Why Native Dalit Christians must change Christian name and Christianity and accept Hinduism or Sikhism for Higher education and Government Jobs? Hope the Canadians will show some guts and deport all these racist anti- christian people to holy cow land!
I love Canada! I worked in Toronto,it is beautiful place! I was more safe and secured in Toronto than India!
Jat Sikhism is caste Sikhism!
God save Canada!
Your post has little to no value. When did caste or Christian discrimination in India become relational to this article? How about Sikh discrimination in India? You sir are a tool. Leave your prejudices and preconceived notions in India. This is Canada.