Now entering its 4th year, Taste of Toronto will be returning to Garrison Common at Fort York, taking place from June 15-18. This year’s event features an all-star cast of chefs hailing from some of the most influential restaurants in the city’s thriving culinary scene. Tickets are available for the culinary festival via TasteofToronto.com and follow all the creations via IG: @tasteoftoronto TW: @tasteoftoronto
New additions to the festival this year include Café Boulud, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Bar Buca, and Bar Isabel, alongside returning favourites The McEwan Group, Richmond Station, The Drake, Nota Bene, Piano Piano, Antler, Raca Café and many more.
Now a culinary mainstay in Toronto, it’s always interesting to see what our chefs have to offer and where the inspiration takes them. Have such a diverse cultural scene really impacts the food the attendees are exposed too. We asked the chefs what surprises laid in store this year at Taste.
Chef Carl Heinrich of Richmond Station
“I am continually impressed with the chefs that participate in Taste every year and the quality of food that they bring. You really do get to see the best chefs in the city, which is rare for any event,” noted Carl Heinrich, Chef/Co-owner Richmond Station.
“The ingredients always offer the most inspiration,” explains Heinrich. “Our chalkboard menu at Richmond Station changes every lunch and dinner and our kitchen team is creating 8-10 brand new dishes daily. We have cultivated great relationships with many quality food producers in Southern Ontario and we love the opportunity to showcase their hard work.” And at the festival “we are making waffle cones to order this year and loading them with incredible Organic ice cream from Mapleton’s plus a few fun seasonal toppings.”
Follow Chef Carl Heinrich via IG: @richmondstation TW: @richmondstn
Chef Ivana Raca of Raca Cafe and Bar
“It’s a great event for chefs to come together and have fun, and a great way to encourage community between Toronto chefs and restaurants and the public,” added Ivana Raca, Chef and Owner at Raca Café. “I was excited to see and hang out with all these amazing chefs in Toronto at the same time, which never happens!”
“I draw a lot of creative inspiration from my time in Bali and Indonesia,” Ivana tells us, having trained with Chef Mark McEwan, she also draws inspiration from his mentoring. “We are doing our hand-rolled house made ricotta gnocchi – a lot of work! It’s going to be delicious, especially with the white truffle paste.”
Follow Chef Ivana Raca via IG: @raca_cafe TW: @ivanaraca
Chef Michael Hunter of Antler
For Michael Hunter, Chef and Co-Owner Antler, it’s more of a chef reunion. “I’d love to see Daniel Boulud show up since his restaurant is participating.”
“I love wild Canadian ingredients, I hunt and forage and those ingredients inspire me,” notes Hunter, and this year “we’re having fun with some of our snack menu items and live fire roasting 4 deer nose to tail.”
Follow Chef Michael Hunter via IG: @thehunterchef TW: @thehunterchef
Taking part in the Taste Theatre, as well as participating as a judge for Best in Taste, Taste of Toronto is excited to welcome this year’s special guest chef, television personality and restaurateur, Aarón Sánchez, who will be on-site for Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening sessions. Chef/owner of Johnny Sánchez restaurants, with locations in New Orleans and Baltimore, Aarón Sánchez is also the co-star of Food Network’s hit series, Chopped and Chopped Junior, and will be joining MasterChef as the third judge on Season 8.
Taste of Toronto will run six sessions from June 15-18, with a limited number of tickets available for sale at TasteofToronto.com:
- Thursday, 5:30pm – 10:00pm
- Friday, 11:30am – 4:00pm
- Friday, 5:30pm – 10:00pm
- Saturday, 11:30am – 4:00pm
- Saturday, 5:30pm – 10:00pm
- Sunday, 12:00pm – 5:00pm
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