“I will always be in kitchens—even when I die”: Chef Didier Leroy on leaving LSL and what happens next

LSL, the city’s nine-seat, $680-a-head experiment in ultra-fine dining, has, until now, been helmed by three heavyweights: Masaki Saito, Christian Le Squer and Didier Leroy—the Frenchest of Toronto’s French chefs and a fixture in this city’s kitchens for nearly four decades. So when LSL announced on Instagram that “Master Chef Didier Leroy is stepping back from the counter to focus on mentoring the next generation,” diners assumed it meant retirement (and maybe a part-time gig at George Brown College). After almost 50 years in the industry, it wasn’t an unreasonable leap.

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But Leroy isn’t retiring—far from it. It wasn’t until we sat down with him (fully expecting a chat about stepping back, teaching Sauce 101: It’s Still Not Ready, Keep Reducing, and easing into his quiet years) that we realized he isn’t hanging up his apron at all. He’s leaving LSL on December 31, but he won’t be away from the pass for long. Leroy is quietly developing a small apprenticeship-style concept inspired by Saito’s sushi school at MSSM. Here, he explains what he’s cooking up next.

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Let’s start with the question everyone keeps whispering: When you leave, will LSL drop an L? I cannot answer that. I’m not a businessman. I’m just a French chef in Toronto.

Fair enough. LSL hasn’t even hit its second anniversary yet—why step away now? I’ll be 70 next year, and my knees have been speaking to me. After nearly 50 years in kitchens—37 of them here in Toronto—you feel it. I’m leaving LSL, yes, but that doesn’t mean I’m retiring. There’s a new generation of chefs who are very talented, and I want to help them grow. But I could never fully leave cooking.

So you’re not actually stepping away from kitchens? No, no. I will always be in kitchens, even when I die. I’m stepping away from LSL—not from cooking.

Okay, so what comes next? It’s a reset. A new chapter. A different rhythm. I want to write a book. I want to consult. I want to travel a little. But retire from the kitchen? No, impossible. And I do have something else in mind, something small. We will see.

You can’t tease “something small” and leave it there. You have to tell us more. I’m working on a new concept—something like what chef Saito has done with MSSM. A small place where the young cooks come and we work together. They learn in the real way, not the illusion way.

And what exactly is the “illusion way”? There are no real apprenticeships anymore. No mentors. Young cooks follow Instagram. They don’t read books. They don’t get guidance. School gives them illusions: they learn a little and think they are ready. But, in a real restaurant, the hours, the pressure—that’s different.

So mentorship matters more than ever. Yes. When you work with someone one-on-one, that is when they grow. If we want a strong food culture tomorrow, we have to invest in the young cooks today. Each person is different, so you guide them person by person—not by telling them what to do but by helping them understand who they are. I will be teaching, but not in a classroom. It’s passing knowledge directly, one person at a time. And before I die, I want to share what I know so it doesn’t disappear with me.

Does the new concept have a name yet? Not yet. Maybe something about disciples, mentoring, apprenticeship. Passing on the legacy. For now, that is all I can tell you.

And you mentioned writing a book. What will it be about? It won’t be a cookbook. It’s my way of putting my philosophy on paper, especially for young people. Cooking, yes, but also the way I see life—the seasons, the values, how to appreciate each moment. I’m Buddhist, so for me it’s about understanding where you come from and where you go and knowing you are unique. I meet many young people today who feel lost or have no hope, and that makes me very sad. If my book can give even one person a little guidance, then it will be worth writing.

It sounds like you’ll be very busy again soon. While you have a bit of downtime, are there any restaurants you’re excited to visit? Ah, many. I think Marvin Palomo is very talented, so I’m excited to dine at Liliana. And I love paella, so I want to go to Casa Paco. But I often enjoy going back to my long-time favourites: Opus and Langdon Hall.

You may not be retiring, but closing the LSL chapter is still a big deal. How do you plan to cap off your final service? I think it will be simple. A good service, having the team together. And I hope someone brings champagne for me—maybe a Montrachet, maybe some Bessards. Something beautiful to finish the night.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.