Ten things Anthony Rose can’t live without

My yoga practice It changed my life: how I breathe, how I hold myself, even how I talk to people. I go to the Ahimsa studio on Bloor four or five times a week. The instructors there are my gurujis—that’s the Buddhist term for someone who transports you from darkness to light.

My go-to cookbook When I’m brainstorming menus, I turn to Jeremiah Tower’s New American Classics. It’s got a highbrow--lowbrow mix that I love—he’ll put a burger next to a bowl of caviar.

My Stones records Sticky Fingers is my favourite album; it’s bluesy, it’s kind of raunchy, and it takes me straight back to my childhood. My son, Simon, is more into hip hop, but I’m slowly converting him.

My knife collection I bought this box of butcher knives on eBay 15 years ago, and I’ve been adding to it ever since—mostly vintage Sabatier blades. They rust easily, but they’ve got a beautiful edge.

My band posters I found this ratty Grateful Dead poster at a garage sale in California, back when I was a huge Dead Head. Later, I discovered it’s an original and worth quite a lot. I’ve collected dozens more since then, including Phish, Blues Traveler and Smashing Pumpkins.

My favourite restaurant I’ve been going to House of Chan in Forest Hill since I was a kid. It’s a classic American Chinese restaurant with red leather booths, a lobster tank and waiters in tuxedos, but it’s also one of the best steak houses in the city.

My backyard firepit I designed it with my steel guy, Sam Fedele, who also built the smoker at Big Crow. I mostly use it to entertain the ladies.

My whiskey A friend bought me this glass flask for my birthday five years ago. I take it everywhere. Right now it’s filled with Michter’s, a single-grain Kentucky rye.

My pickup truck I don’t know how I ever lived without my Toyota Tacoma. I call it Black Mamba, after Uma Thurman’s character in Kill Bill. It makes me feel sexy, like a cowboy.