We’ve been watching (and tasting) the rise of Toronto’s best new chefs for years. Here’s our selection of favourites not yet elevated to the hall of fame and what we’ve had to say about them. For a complete archive of restaurant reviews, visit eyeweekly.com/food
Roger Mooking
(Kultura, 169 King E., 416-363-9000; Nyood, 1096 Queen W., 416-466-1888)
“Tapas-sized, global-fusion food is still all the rage, but none will bless your belly like that of Roger Mooking, who demonstrates cleverness without preciousness, and his plates deliver on all fronts.”
Eran Marom
(Marron, 948 Eglinton W., 416-784-0128)
“Yarmulkes off to Marron for shattering stereotypes about Jewish cuisine and pointing out that kosher cooking doesn’t only have to be about brisket and bagels. And you certainly don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy Marron, either. Any foodie would be happy to fork out big bucks for Eran Marom’s kick-ass kosher.”
Scot Woods
(Lucien, 36 Wellington E., 416-504-9990)
“... it’s the unrepentant decadence of what’s coming out of Woods’ kitchen that’s truly sinful. If we’re correct and the path to hell is paved with Scot Woods’ cuisine, we couldn’t think of a tastier road to follow.”
Ted Corrado
(C5, 100 Queen’s Park, 416-586-7298)
“It’s a good thing Teddy Corrado ... knows a thing or two about combining the simple with the exotic and the profane with the divine.”
Bertrand Alépée and Jason Inniss
(Amuse Bouche, 96 Tecumseth, 416-913-5830)
“Amuse Bouche will have your tongue dancing in ways you’d never have expected.”
Mark Cutrara
(Cowbell, 1564 Queen W., 416-849-1095)
“Cutrara not only created a locavore’s crack den (churning butter in the basement, curing and smoking his own meat), he’s done it in a very Parkdale way — charming but not ostentatious.”
Doug Neigel
(L’unita, 134 Avenue, 416-964-8686)
“Culinary finesse from a young chef like Doug Neigel (former chef at the Park Hyatt) is pretty rare.... Sotto Sotto watch out.”
Tom Thai
(Foxley, 207 Ossington, 416-534-8520)
“Sadly, some chefs still think fusion means throwing random foodstuffs of disparate culinary traditions at the wall and hoping the resultant splatter will stick. Thankfully, Tom Thai knows the difference between chalk and cheese and continues to deliver a twist on this tired trend.”
Chris Thorn
(Karuchie, 924 College, 416-850-1729)
“Finally foodies have a reason to park their Vespas a bit beyond Little Italy for some mighty fine dining.”
Pat Riley
(Perigee, 55 Mill, 416-364-1397)
“When money is no object, let Pat Riley’s kitchen prepare one of his dizzying, nine-course magic shows.”
Laurent Brion
(Tati, 124 Harbord, 416-962-8284)
“Consistently anonymous in his trench coat and trilby hat, Monsieur Heulot, the pre-war French everyman smoking a pipe on his bicycle, is positioned as ambassador to an antiquated world reanimated on the canvas of chef Laurent Brion’s lively cooking.”
Jean Jacques Texier
(Batifole, 744 Gerrard E., 416-462-9965)
“... any restaurant that can in rapid sequence inspire the two most enjoyable deadly sins deserves a decoration from la Legion d’Honneur.”