Terroir, the hospitality industry symposium, brings chefs, wine and food experts, restaurateurs and members of the food media together for one day each year. This time around the program is centered on the theme of the “New Radicals” (no, not those ones): the new generation of chefs who might be conventionally trained, but are more collaborative than their forebears and more than happy to set up shop in unconventional spaces. Attendees this year will be greeted with a unique Manchu Wok–style lunch buffet catered by a team of mainly Toronto chefs. The cheeky contemporary interpretations of pop culture classics will use local, seasonal and foraged ingredients: think sweet-and-sour confit chicken balls and General Tso sweetbreads. A couple weeks back, we sat in on the “Wok and Roll” photo shoot for the event, which included Jason Bangerter(Luma, O&B Canteen), Matty Matheson(Parts and Labour) and Charlotte Langley (Café Belong)among others, and asked which Canadian-style Chinese food item they’ve planned to rework. Mostly, though, it was just an excuse to watch some of our favourite chefs engaged in a little food fight.
Symposium Chair Arlene Stein gets into chef’s whites and a hat for a shot with Ivy Knight. Stein tells us the Manchu Wok–style luncheon buffet was designed as a tribute to the innovative and adaptive nature of the original Chinese railroad workers, who settled in Canada and became restaurateurs. According to Stein, they were the original radicals: using whatever ingredients were available to them, they were able to adapt their culinary traditions to cater to a Western palate
Symposium Chair Arlene Stein gets into chef’s whites and a hat for a shot with Ivy Knight. Stein tells us the Manchu Wok–style luncheon buffet was designed as a tribute to the innovative and adaptive nature of the original Chinese railroad workers, who settled in Canada and became restaurateurs. According to Stein, they were the original radicals: using whatever ingredients were available to them, they were able to adapt their culinary traditions to cater to a Western palate
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(Image: Renée Suen)
Kevin Gilmore (Drake Hotel) gives Dave Mitton (Harbord Room) his best walrus interpretation
Alexandra Feswick (Brockton General), attacked by Ivy Knight’s noodles
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(Image: Renée Suen)
Sometimes accidents do happen, like when Dave Mitton (Harbord Room) bit into his dumpling only to squirt hot broth all over unsuspecting Matty Matheson (Parts and Labour)
Sometimes accidents do happen, like when Dave Mitton (Harbord Room) bit into his dumpling only to squirt hot broth all over unsuspecting Matty Matheson (Parts and Labour)
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(Image: Renée Suen)
Gabardine pastry chef Christine Fancy will be supplying 400 homemade fortune cookies for Terroir’s lunch. Fancy tells us a unique fortune will be in each of the labour-intensive tuile cookies (only six cookies can be made at a time)
Gabardine pastry chef Christine Fancy will be supplying 400 homemade fortune cookies for Terroir’s lunch. Fancy tells us a unique fortune will be in each of the labour-intensive tuile cookies (only six cookies can be made at a time)
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(Image: Renée Suen)
Melanie Clancy (Boreal Gelato Co.)—sandwiched here between Matty Matheson (Parts and Labor), Kevin Gilmore (Drake Hotel) and Jason Bangerter (Luma, Canteen)—will be supplying the ice cream and fixings at the vegetarian-friendly Sundae Bar
Melanie Clancy (Boreal Gelato Co.)—sandwiched here between Matty Matheson (Parts and Labor), Kevin Gilmore (Drake Hotel) and Jason Bangerter (Luma, Canteen)—will be supplying the ice cream and fixings at the vegetarian-friendly Sundae Bar
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(Image: Renée Suen)
Noodle fight! There are bound to be some accidents when 13 hungry people are unleashed on a field of food—especially when they’re mugging for cameras. Case in point: chef Jason Bangerter (Luma, Canteen) gets sauced by Kevin Gilmore’s (Drake Hotel) noodles. Bangerter, who’s been a Terroir attendee before, tells us he’s excited about presenting his interpretations of spring rolls and cold rolls
Noodle fight! There are bound to be some accidents when 13 hungry people are unleashed on a field of food—especially when they’re mugging for cameras. Case in point: chef Jason Bangerter (Luma, Canteen) gets sauced by Kevin Gilmore’s (Drake Hotel) noodles. Bangerter, who’s been a Terroir attendee before, tells us he’s excited about presenting his interpretations of spring rolls and cold rolls
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(Image: Renée Suen)
Hungry chefs couldn’t wait to dig into the Canadian-Chinese feast that Symposium Chair Arlene Stein and her assistant Melissa Yu brought for the shoot
Hungry chefs couldn’t wait to dig into the Canadian-Chinese feast that Symposium Chair Arlene Stein and her assistant Melissa Yu brought for the shoot
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(Image: Renée Suen)
Noting that there’s usually some sort of random meatball item in a buffet, Brocton General’s Alexandra Feswick will be preparing Swedish meatballs using her family recipe. Gabardine’s Graham Pratt, on the other hand, will be making his version of spicy sesame squid (he’s been playing with the recipe during staff meals)
Noting that there’s usually some sort of random meatball item in a buffet, Brocton General’s Alexandra Feswick will be preparing Swedish meatballs using her family recipe. Gabardine’s Graham Pratt, on the other hand, will be making his version of spicy sesame squid (he’s been playing with the recipe during staff meals)
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(Image: Renée Suen)
From left: Alexandra Feswick (Brockton General), Christine Fancy (Gabardine), Graham Pratt (Gabardine), Matty Matheson (Parts and Labour) and Scott Vivian (Beast). A veteran in the Terroir lunch catering team, Vivian tells us he’ll be preparing barbecue lamb ribs in the style of spare ribs and an Asian-inspired baby bok choy dish
From left: Alexandra Feswick (Brockton General), Christine Fancy (Gabardine), Graham Pratt (Gabardine), Matty Matheson (Parts and Labour) and Scott Vivian (Beast). A veteran in the Terroir lunch catering team, Vivian tells us he’ll be preparing barbecue lamb ribs in the style of spare ribs and an Asian-inspired baby bok choy dish
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(Image: Renée Suen)
Dave Mitton (bartender at Harbord Room) tells us he’s bringing back some classic cocktails, notably the Pink Lady, the Stinger and the Grasshopper. Mitton notes that despite the kitschy names, the drinks are really quite potent concoctions that deserve a second chance
Dave Mitton (bartender at Harbord Room) tells us he’s bringing back some classic cocktails, notably the Pink Lady, the Stinger and the Grasshopper. Mitton notes that despite the kitschy names, the drinks are really quite potent concoctions that deserve a second chance
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(Image: Renée Suen)
Oliver and Bonacini chefs Jason Bangerter (Luma, Canteen) and Marc St. Jacques (Auberge du Pommier). St. Jacques will be giving an offal spin to General Tso chicken by cooking deep-fried sweetbreads
Oliver and Bonacini chefs Jason Bangerter (Luma, Canteen) and Marc St. Jacques (Auberge du Pommier). St. Jacques will be giving an offal spin to General Tso chicken by cooking deep-fried sweetbreads
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(Image: Renée Suen)
From left: Kevin Gilmore (Drake Hotel) with Melanie Clancy (Boreal Gelato Co.) and David Givon (Bellevue). Gilmore tells us he isn’t too nervous about the Canadian Chinese food theme because of the experience he had last fall when the Drake converted its restaurant to a 1940s L.A. Chinatown theme for its Dining Roadshow. For Terroir’s lunch, Gilmore will be in charge of a pork carving station, the product of which will be served with a peanut ginger slaw
From left: Kevin Gilmore (Drake Hotel) with Melanie Clancy (Boreal Gelato Co.) and David Givon (Bellevue). Gilmore tells us he isn’t too nervous about the Canadian Chinese food theme because of the experience he had last fall when the Drake converted its restaurant to a 1940s L.A. Chinatown theme for its Dining Roadshow. For Terroir’s lunch, Gilmore will be in charge of a pork carving station, the product of which will be served with a peanut ginger slaw
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(Image: Renée Suen)
The sign welcoming the 14 chefs to the bowels of Parts and Labour
Terroir, the hospitality industry symposium, brings chefs, wine and food experts, restaurateurs and members of the food media together for one day each year. This time around the program is centered on the theme of the “New Radicals” (no, not those ones): the new generation of chefs who might be conventionally trained, but are more collaborative than their forebears and more than happy to set up shop in unconventional spaces. Attendees this year will be greeted with a unique Manchu Wok–style lunch buffet catered by a team of mainly Toronto chefs. The cheeky contemporary interpretations of pop culture classics will use local, seasonal and foraged ingredients: think sweet-and-sour confit chicken balls and General Tso sweetbreads. A couple weeks back, we sat in on the “Wok and Roll” photo shoot for the event, which included Jason Bangerter (Luma, O&B Canteen), Matty Matheson (Parts and Labour) and Charlotte Langley (Café Belong) among others, and asked which Canadian-style Chinese food item they’ve planned to rework. Mostly, though, it was just an excuse to watch some of our favourite chefs engaged in a little food fight.
: the new generation of chefs who might be conventionally trained, but are more collaborative than their forebears and more than happy to set up shop in unconventional spaces. Attendees this year will be greeted with a unique Manchu Wok–style lunch buffet catered by a team of mainly Toronto chefs. The cheeky contemporary interpretations of pop culture classics will use local, seasonal and foraged ingredients: think sweet-and-sour confit chicken balls and General Tso sweetbreads. A couple weeks back, we sat in on the “Wok and Roll” photo shoot for the event, which included Jason Bangerter (Luma, O&B Canteen), Matty Matheson (Parts and Labour) and Charlotte Langley (Café Belong) among others, and asked which Canadian-style Chinese food item they’ve planned to rework. Mostly, though, it was just an excuse to watch some of our favourite chefs engaged in a little food fight.
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Terroir. April 23. Arcadian Court, 401 Bay St., terroirsymposium.com){kind=link}