Guy Rawlings is opening Montgomery’s on Queen West

Chef Guy Rawlings, most recently the operations manager for Bar Isabel and Bar Raval, is returning to the kitchen. This August, he and his wife, Kim, are opening Montgomery’s in the former Tom’s Family Restaurant space on Queen West. Rawlings says the 50-seat operation will serve Canadian dishes using mostly Ontario-grown produce, swapping out imported ingredients for local ones—he’ll use house-made vinegars instead of lemons, and rendered animal fat instead of olive oil. Rawlings will also make canned, preserved and fermented goods on site.

The couple plans to spearhead community outreach projects, including initiatives with Toronto Urban Growers and neighbouring CAMH. As for the name, Rawlings chose his wife’s Scottish maiden name because of its family crest. “It’s pretty amazing,” says Rawlings. “It’s a woman holding an anchor in one hand and a man’s head in the other. There’s a whole story behind it but for me, it’s about seeing a strong woman show a man what’s up. Coincidentally, the first five people we hired at the restaurant were all women.”

996 Queen St. W, montgomerysrestaurant.com, @MontgomerysNews