Inside the kitchen of Zachary Darke, the executive chef of Parquet

Zachary Darke, the newly minted executive chef of Parquet, Harbord Street’s Michelin-recognized French bistro, learned to cook from his Italian grandmother. “She was very industrious,” he says. “She made vegetarian lasagna using eggs instead of cheese because it was all she could afford. Occasionally she’d buy cheap, strange cuts of meat, but she knew how to render their flavours through braising, slow-cooking and seasoning. She was a real inspiration.”

Related: Inside the kitchen of Andres Jaramillo, chef de cuisine at Abrielle

Darke grew up in Kelowna and started working at Earls while he was in high school. He climbed the ranks until, after graduating, he was able to move into fine-dining hotel kitchens. There, he picked up French techniques that served him when he eventually attended culinary school. In 2014, he moved to Toronto, and he’s since built an impressive CV working at spots like Biff’s Bistro, Lena, Maison Selby, Lapinou, Gia and Bar Chica. But, a few months back, the owners of Parquet set their sights on hiring him. “I had never been courted like that before,” says Darke. “They wined and dined me. I couldn’t say no.”

In addition to revamping the menu for Parquet into a tighter, properly French-focused bistro, Darke has been preparing for a major change at home. He and his partner, Kimberley Jewer, will soon welcome a baby into their Liberty Village townhouse. “Now that Kimberley is pregnant, our shelves are equal parts power drinks and candy,” says Darke.

Jokes aside, their fridge is actually very sensible. It’s packed with tons of veggies (some already cleaned and prepped), hummus and yogurt. “Before I got together with Zachary, I was vegan, so salads and hummus are a mainstay here,” says Jewer.

The couple insist that Darke did not in any way coerce Jewer back into eating meat. “When I met Zach, I was ready to give up being a vegan,” she says. “If anything, exploring flavours through his cooking has revitalized my interest in vegetarian food, even if I am not strict about adhering to the rules.” An example of their flexibility: these Pinty’s chicken wings and takeout from Canton Chilli.

Darke and Jewer like to explore the city through different international cuisines. “We’ll take little food adventures, snacking at different spots,” says Darke. Last week, they tackled Parkdale, getting Mexican snacks at Molkagtez, momos at Loga’s Corner and dessert at Craig’s Cookies.

This is their collection of extremely hot hot sauces. “This grouping is actually scaled back from what we had a few months ago. I can’t handle the heat right now with my pregnancy,” says Jewer. “But Zach puts hot sauce on everything.”

Another spicy staple for the chef is pickled eggplant. “It reminds me of what my grandmother used to make. I always have to have it in my fridge,” says Darke.

Darke grew up without a lot of money, so he’s unaccustomed to stocking cheese and dairy. Jewer’s pregnancy, though, has changed things. “If there’s not ice cream, Cheez Whiz, Kraft Dinner and mini bocconcini, it’s not good,” he says.

This herb butter is from Parquet. “I batch cook once a week, so I like to keep a couple of fancy things around for that,” says Darke.

There are sausages, butter chicken leftovers and smoothie basics in the freezer, but the deep freeze is where the real action is. “Last week I made three huge lasagnas to get ready for the baby,” says Darke. “It’s cute because they’re sitting right next to the leftover cake from Kimberley’s baby shower.”

Darke also has a stand-alone freezer. “Even though they courted me, I still had to audition to get hired for Parquet,” he says. “The owners, Matt Cohen and Daniel Bernstein, came over, and I made them a five-course meal. I used this duck for one of the courses.”

Their pantry items are a little more low-key. “We make soups, salads, stews, basic proteins and sauces at home,” says Jewer. “And though I’ve recently become addicted to sweet coffee and cereal—stuff I haven’t eaten in about a decade—I do my best to keep the collection as low in sugar as my cravings will allow.”

When meal planning isn’t dictated by specific hankerings, Darke turns to his cookbook collection. “I leaf through all of them for inspiration, but when I really want to learn, I turn to Gordon Ramsay,” he says.

When they just want to relax—and finally give into their sugar cravings—the couple will roast marshmallows in their at-home s’mores maker.