Thursday March 1, 2012
6-9 pm
St Lawrence Market, North Building
On March 1, join us for Recipe for Change, an unforgettable evening of fine food, wine and beer featuring 30 top Toronto chefs.
Recipe for Change is a Tasting Adventure unlike any other, and includes a lovely full meal and accompanying beverages, plus unprecedented opportunities to mingle with 30 top Toronto chefs and local gastronomes.
Torontoist called Recipe for Change "a Food Network fantasy come to life," James Chatto called the event "a must attend" and the National Post says it is "the perfect foodie fundraiser."
Recipe for Change 2012 is guaranteed to be a glittering beacon this winter – don't miss out!
Chefs
Aaron Joseph Bear Robe, Keriwa Café
Aaron Joseph Bear Robe originally hails from Siksika Nation, Alberta. Born of a Blackfoot father and a Scottish-Nova Scotian mother, his rich and varied cultural background informs his dynamic cooking style. Working in various kitchens in Calgary during school from a young age, Aaron decided to cook professionally from 2003 onwards. Aaron began working at River Cafe, in Calgary, where attention to hand crafted food made from the finest local ingredients influenced him greatly. In the almost three years he worked there he worked every station on the kitchen line and became a chef de partie, apprenticing under chef Scott Pohorelic. While at River Café, Aaron also completed the culinary apprenticeship program at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology as well as working at a modern Indian cuisine restaurant, Mango Shiva.
Working at River Café allowed Aaron the opportunity to spend time at Blue Mountain Biodynamic Farms, just outside of Calgary, learning a love for the ingredient with hands in the dirt. During this time Aaron accompanied chef Scott Pohorelic as acting sous chef to the first ever Canadian Chef's Congress in Singhampton, Ontario hosted by chef Michael Stadtlander of Eigensinn Farm. There at Eigensinn, during the Congress, Aaron saw the opportunity to learn more. Shortly after returning to Calgary chef Pohorelic arranged for an apprenticeship at Eigensinn farm and in early 2009 Aaron began his six-month apprenticeship under chef Michael Stadtlander. He lived and worked on the farm, along with aiding chef Stadtlander in Eigensinn Farm dinner services. Being there at that time gave Aaron the unique privilege of helping to build and open HaiSai Restaurant and Bakery.
In the fall of 2009 Aaron was on the move again and he headed to Toronto. Aaron begun working at chef Victor Barry's newly revamped Splendido where there was plenty to learn from a chef and kitchen exploring a rustic, elegant, locally sourced menu. Staying on for a year and learning was opportune as he worked alongside Dennis Tay where their mutual passion of food and honouring the ingredient has continued with Keriwa Café, where chef Aaron Bear Robe hopes to employ the finest quality locally and regionally sourced ingredients to make delicious, rustic food drawing from the his heritage and other food cultures of Canada.
Abby Sabherwal has been the driving force behind Magical Catering since 1997. Born in India and schooled in nutrition she has been adding her holistic touches to various aspects of her menu and events. The flavours are as varied as is the climate and as exotic as the people of India. Her blending and preparation of spices is inspired by centuries-old craft and each dish is created to bring nutrition and pleasure to your plate. She understands food and various dietary needs and provides guests with Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy, Gluten or Wheat Free meals that do not sacrifice flavours or freshness. Love Yourself. Inspire Others.
Albert Ponzo is the executive Chef of Toronto's uber successful Le Sélect Bistro. Wearing the French toque for six years he is the creative force behind the restaurant's contemporary rendition of classic French cuisine. He is a strong supporter of Slow Food Toronto and a large advocator of nose to tail eating with a passion for ingredients that are produced in an ethical and sustainable manner.
Alvin Rebick has been a chef/restaurateur for more than thirty years. Over the course of his restaurant career he owned and operated 6 different restaurants in both Guelph and Ottawa, all of which were listed in Where to Eat in Canada. With his wife and business partner Glenna, Alvin has written two nationally published cookbook/memoirs, the award winning The Very Best of the Baker Street Bistro and Bistro, Trade Secrets From a Life in Food.
Alvin joined FoodShare in January 2009 and quickly became a proud member of the award winning kitchen team (Toronto Star Golden Whisk Award 2009, Bhayana Foundation Team Achievement Award 2009) in the capacity of Kitchen Manager. Every day he helps prepare a wonderful lunch for all FoodShare staff, volunteers and guests. Alvin also helped to create FoodShare's newest program – the Good Food Café – which models a healthy school cafeteria, serving attractive and delicious nutritious food that students choose to eat. The Toronto Star called the Good Food Café "the future of school lunches", and its success is clear every day when a rush of excitement signals the arrival of grade 7 and 8 students eager for their lunch. Alvin says that the switch from business to the non-profit sector has affirmed his love of cooking and awakened a desire to teach everyone how to cook healthy, delicious food.
Anne Yarymowich has served as executive chef at the Art Gallery of Ontario since 1996. Born in Montreal to parents of Ukrainian descent, Yarymowich's passion for cooking began at an early age. Inspired by family influences and French-Canadian traditions, Yarymowich is a member of Slow Food, and is renowned for her cuisine focusing on local ingredients and seasonality.
Working with the AGO is a natural fit for Yarymowich, as she began with a fine arts degree in visual arts and photography from the University of Ottawa. Deciding to switch from art to a culinary career, Yarymowich graduated from George Brown College in May 1989 in culinary management, and has returned recently in the capacity of Chef instructor.
Yarymowich played a large role in bringing high-end brunch to Toronto in the 1990s. Setting a precedent for this popular late morning meal, Yarymowich was the original chef at Mildred Pierce from March 1990 to July 1996. Yarymowich has been busy cooking for events and preparing for the opening of the dazzling new AGO restaurant FRANK. She has continued to participate in the culinary community through a number of Slow Food and fundraising events, including Picnic at the Brickworks, Eat to the Beat and Toronto Taste. A unique and cutting-edge museum dining experience, FRANK will transcend visitors' expectations of gallery dining. In developing the concept and menu for this new restaurant, Yarymowich is focused on creating "contemporary comfort cuisine." Drawing on regional ingredients, she sees the art experience as a major source of inspiration.
With a philosophy and mandate to source local and organic fresh ingredients from ethical and environmentally sustainable farmers, foragers and artisans, Chef Long has prepared meals for some of the world's most discriminating diners, Canada's corporate elite, political heavyweights, international celebrities and professional athletes. His culinary talent has been recognized by some of Canada's toughest food critics and his big personality brought to bear as co-host of the Food Network & HGTV smash Restaurant Makeover. Opening Toronto's Air Canada Centre & BMO Field, Long worked 10 years for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. The launch of 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower followed five years at Toronto's seminal Pronto Ristorante.
Currently, Long has opened Café Belong and Belong Catering at Evergreen Brick Works, and is working to renovate King East's Veritas. When he isn't providing culinary leadership, creating menus, tasting sauces, speaking with farmers and foragers or checking the freshness of new produce, he relishes family time with his wife Sheryl (also an experienced chef) and his five young children.
ChocoSol is a learning community/social enterprise that uses artisanal chocolate as a symbolic product that incarnates the values that we make part of our art of living and dying with dignity. We offer chocolate foods as opposed to candies or commodities.
In 2010 we started The Tortilla Project, using corn as an expression of our artisanal research of our community. The Fresh Tortilla Project is a community based enterprise designed to celebrate indigenous knowledge and agriculture in the changing context of today's local food communities. Tortillas are made from grain corn using the nixtamalization process, which involves boiling the corn into an alkaline solution in order to dissolve the hull of the corn, it is a traditional technique to make the corn more digestible and nutritious. Corn is the fruit of a millenary culture in Mexico, and in the context of Ontario today, corn tortillas can be made using 100% local ingredients grown in traditional ways. Moreover, in terms of food security and gastronomy Mexican culinary traditions have a lot to teach us about health, quality, taste, and ecology.
Chef Donna Dooher, celebrated cookbook author and restaurateur, is one of North America's leading advocates of the return to the table. With over 25 years of professional experience in the kitchen, Donna has established herself as a prominent figure in the Toronto hospitality community. After opening Mildred Pierce in 1990 in Toronto's west end, Donna created The Cookworks Cooking Studio in 1998, which inspired her hit Food Network show The Cookworks and is currently aired in over 60 countries worldwide. Donna's newest venture is Mildred's Temple Kitchen in the heart of Toronto's Liberty Village and reflects her commitment to providing locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, simply and sumptuously prepared. As an active member of Slow Food, Donna is a self-proclaimed 'fork hugger' dedicated to supporting Ontario farmers and local agriculture.
Douglas McNish
Cooking since the age of 15 Douglas fell in love with the kitchen instantaneously. He felt a deep and sincere love for all things food related. Camaraderie, hard work, attention to detail and the constant creativity were all factors in drawing him to continue his goals and move on to Chef School. After attending George Brown Culinary Chef Program, Douglas took an apprenticeship and continued to hone his skills learning the inner workings of a busy professional kitchen. After working for Toronto's best chefs in some of the most challenging atmospheres he found that he needed to make a change. Not realizing then how much food is a factor in all aspects of life, he found himself overweight and unhappy. It was at this point that he watched an undercover video from PETA (people for the ethical treatment of animals) that his life would change forever. After witnessing such atrocities he made a choice to become vegetarian. Over the course of the next 6 months (while working on a grill in a steakhouse) Douglas began to transform his diet and his life forever. Slowly weight began to peel off and he began to feel a lightness he never experienced before. By taking what he already knew from his years of culinary training he began to relearn how to prepare food in a healthier light. Pairing this with a deep concern for the planet and the welfare of all it's inhabitants the next most logical step was to become vegan. Since then Douglas has taken healthy, organic, plant based cuisine to a whole new level. Challenging mainstream thought on diet and ethics, he continues to create inspired dishes using the highest quality ingredients possible.
For Chef Emerie Brine, the love of fresh food started as a young child. Growing up on a farm on the east coast, Emerie shared in the toils of his large family garden. As one of eleven children, home canning was a yearly tradition in his home, not only providing nutritious foods at a busy table, but acting as an avenue for the creative palate of a budding chef. Emerie credits his mother with his love of food. "Until my youngest brother and I started school and my mother returned to work, I had no idea that you could purchase sliced bread, meats, and cereal at a store. Everything my family ate came directly from the farm".
While Emerie's roots are firmly planted in the country, he now enjoys the opportunities that urban life in Toronto provides. The global food market allows for experimentation and a full year of culinary fun. However, Emerie's belief in the value of "fresh-picked" foods makes his partnership with Bernardin a natural. An alumnus of Kraft Foods – Emerie worked both as a Food Technician and a Consumer Relations Associate – he is an expert in the tastes of the Canadian palate. His own catering company specialized in dietary-needs menus, and after a proud 3-year service as chef for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Emerie has mastered the efficiencies that preserving can provide.
As the chef for Bernardin, Emerie is looking forward to continuing to experiment with new recipes for home canners. "As a child, my family picked, pickled and canned every possible fruit and vegetable that we grew. Now, with the abundance of herbs, spices and vinegars available, we can add some zip to traditional recipes, and create new taste combinations that will become family favourites".
Fabio Bondi studied culinary arts at George Brown College. He went on to earn a scholarship (Cuisinart excellence in Italian cuisine), which led him to Italy. While in Italy, Fabio took on an apprenticeship position at the Michelin Star rated restaurant, Il Postale. He then returned back to Toronto and, together with Michael Sangregorio, they opened Local Kitchen & Wine Bar. Since its opening, Local Kitchen has been rated among the best restaurants in Toronto as well as in Canada.
George Tyminski is the newly appointed Sous Chef of the Annona restaurant located in the prestigious Park Hyatt Hotel in downtown Toronto. A graduate of Liaison, George Brown and Humber College, he is eager to use the best of what this country has to offer.
Working alongside award winning Executive Chef Joan Monfaredi, his approach is more comfort with a twist of modern and fine dining. Influenced by the seasons, George humbly creates food that is warm to the heart and reminds all that the act of dining is something to be cherished.
Trained at the George Brown culinary school, Jesus works from a rich and complex palette influenced by his mother's Colombian cooking. He is a master of spicing who creatively composes eclectic flavours to delight every palate, but always says that his secret ingredient is at least 3 ½ cups of care and love which goes into the preparation of any meal.
Jesus is a proud member of FoodShare's award winning kitchen team (Toronto Star Golden Whisk Award 2009, Bhayana Foundation Team Achievement Award 2009.) In his six years with FoodShare he has played many roles, including the loving preparation every day of lunch for all FoodShare staff, volunteers and guests, while Jesus spends the bulk of his time mentoring FoodShare's youth interns, teaching them everything from basic kitchen skills to complex culinary technique and passing on to them his great passion for food. His protégé Matthew Flannigan won the So You(th) Think You Can Cook competition at the Royal Winter Fair in 2010.
John Sinopoli, Table 17 and Ascari Enoteca
Before venturing into New York's high-end restaurant scene and after completing a Joint Honours degree in philosophy and religious studies at McGill University, John spent over a year in Japan where he studied local cooking styles. His experience with the "everyday" of Japanese food and culture forever changed his approach to how good a quick meal should be.
Upon returning to North America John attended the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan and went on to work at the venerable La Caravelle, where John was part of the team that earned the restaurant a three star review in the New York Times. After almost a year he moved on to Craft, Tom Collichio's (Gramercy Tavern) new American restaurant in the heart of the Flat Iron district. At Craft, John cooked his way through all the stations and learned the successful business practices and incessant demand for high quality that won the restaurant the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in the United States.
After three years in New York, John returned to Toronto in search of ways to put his varied experience to good use. He found a more than suitable outlet at the acclaimed Splendido where under Chef/Owner David Lee he helped to develop sophisticated tasting menus for Toronto's most dedicated foodies. After a year contributing to the kitchen of Splendido Mr. Sinopoli was presented with the opportunity to head the kitchen for the opening of Izakaya with owner and partner Erik Joyal. At Izakaya John and his team have developed a style of Japanese food that speaks to his experience in Japan as well as the demand for quality products and precise execution he has learned from his training in North America. June of 2008 saw a shift back to John's European roots with the opening of Table 17. John leads the kitchen at Table 17 in creating a seasonal, ingredient driven menu where the influences of southern Europe are readily apparent.
Leonard Abel Jr. began his cooking career at the Toronto Council Fire and Native Cultural Centre and cooked in a variety of restaurants before joining the FoodShare kitchen in 2009 as a member of the Good Food Café team.
Leonard is currently the Community Education Supervisor, working as a teacher in FoodShare's Community Kitchen program. Working with a variety of community groups and in particular with Aboriginal communities through the TDSB Aboriginal Education Centre, Leonard teaches cooking in a community setting and spreads FoodShare's message of Good Healthy Food for All to hundreds of people throughout the city of Toronto.
Executive Chef Katherine Hall has nearly 30 years experience working as a professional chef. After completing her chef apprenticeship at George Brown, Katherine trained in France and then held Executive Chef titles at several major hotels, resorts and restaurants including Novotel, Hockley Resort, The McGill Club and The Elmwood Spa. Katherine later operated her own successful cooking school and catering business.
For the next 7 years, Katherine focused her talents in the organic, vegetarian and health food arena as the Executive Chef at The Big Carrot Natural Food Market in Toronto. Most recently (March 2009) Katherine launched "Hall's Kitchen", a small Toronto food company specializing in healthy, premium, gluten free, vegan soups and stews.
Luis Valenzuela was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. He moved to Canada in 2001, beginning his career at North 44 restaurant under renowned chef Mark McEwan. Luis Valenzuela apprenticed much of the time under Executive Chef Andrew Ellerby, and attributes much of his knowledge and passion to this experience. Luis also worked under renowned Italian Chef Bruno Barrbieri in Verona, Italy, and with Chef Adolfo Munoz from Toledo, Spain.
His career so far has shaped him as the Chef of Café Cinquecento in 2008, and today Luis is one of the youngest accomplished Chefs of the city, running the kitchen of Torito Tapas Bar in Kensington Market. Luis is also the co-founder of Texturas, an organization that seeks to import Mexican vanilla with a reduced carbon footprint while connecting communities here and in Mexico.
Chef Marc Breton is a classically trained French chef with over 30 years of professional experience. He apprenticed at the Windsor Arms in the mid 80s and attended George Brown College. Over the years, he has worked at many of Toronto's favourite restaurants including Winston's, le Bistingo, Mclean House and the Bellair Cafe. Most recently before coming to the Gladstone, he was Chef at the Rivoli for seven years.
Chef Breton's style of cuisine is based on using fresh, local, seasonal ingredients. Breton and his team present à la carte and catering menus which celebrate eating locally and sustainably, supporting strong partnerships with local food producers. Chef Breton learned his love of food from his French Canadian parents as he grew up cooking at home. He says, "My frustration is that what grows in your backyard has become a 'delicacy' sought after by Chefs. We need to collectively reconnect with local producers to turn the tables on what's available for our kitchen tables."
In 2007, the Toronto Food Policy Council recognized Chef Breton with a Local Food Hero Award for leading the Gladstone's annual Harvest Wednesdays series of culinary events inspired by the hotel's membership in a local Community Shared Agriculture Farm.
Cooking for Chef Mark Cutrara is like making beautiful music. "Ingredients are the most important part of cooking, like notes are the most important part of music," says Cutrara. "If you bring together the right ingredients, you'll create food that people will love. Like music, good food has the ability to take you back to a perfect moment in your life." Cooking and music are two of Cutrara's greatest passions. He studied music at the Cawthra School for the Arts in Mississauga and is an accomplished guitar and banjo player. And in 1996, he went to the Stratford Chefs School to learn as much as he could about the culinary arts. After graduating with honours, Cutrara worked with some of Toronto's best chefs including Jamie Kennedy of JK ROM and JK Kitchens, Eugene Shewchuk of Messis and Rocco Agostino of Silver Spoon. Under the mentorship of these chefs, Cutrara learned to respect food and where it comes from, helped him understand that using local, fresh, seasonal ingredients brings more flavour. In 2006, Cutrara helped businessman Ed Ho create Globe Bistro, which offers patrons a global menu made from fresh, local ingredients. Cutrara left Globe in January 2007 to work at The Healthy Butcher on Queen Street West to learn more about sustainability and farm-to-table practices.
In July 2007, inspired by small turn of the century French bistros, Cutrara and his wife Karin Culliton, opened Cowbell Restaurant, which features an ever-changing chalkboard menu created with local, naturally-raised, organic meats and produce. "I believe that an ingredient-driven menu will be a great way to develop a local Toronto cuisine," he says. "We are surrounded by some of North America's greatest farm land, but our current food buying decisions are leaving our farmers broke and bankrupt. I would love for Cowbell to help open up the market place for our farmers."
In 1975, Mario Pingue Sr. and his wife Irma established a restaurant and banquet facility in Niagara Falls that quickly developed a reputation for quality regional Italian cuisine and attentive service. But a consistent comment from paying friends was, "Mario, everything was excellent but the prosciutto was not like the one you served at your home". These comments about the domestic prosciutto, as the superior hams from Italy were not available, opened the Pingues' eyes to an opportunity they have since taken advantage of. As a child, Pingue learned the tradition of curing meats from his grandfather. In Canada, during the mid-70s, one was hard pressed to find quality Italian prosciutto and it was the readily available domestic product that Pingues' customers dismissed as sub-par and "not like the prosciutto you make at home." This triggered Pingue to make prosciutto not just for his own family, but also for the growing demands of his catering business. The business, situated in an old dairy, had a sub-basement that was 40-feet below grade which Pingue figured would lend itself well as a cold cellar, or cantina, that was ideal for storing prosciutto.
At the time, the Niagara region was experiencing a proliferation of wineries, and a few chose to enhance their winery with on-site restaurants. Michael Olson of Cave Spring Cellars' On The Twenty Restaurant saw the need to define "Niagara Cuisine" and complement wines with foods, including Pingue's meats. In 1998, at Olson's request, Pingue Sr. began producing for others. Within A few years he was supplying salt-preserved meats to a handful of accounts from Vineland to Niagara-On-The-Lake. The business was truly cottage
Pingue's sons, Mario Jr. and Fernando, were raised in the family business and, sometimes reluctantly, learned basic butchering and preserving techniques. In 2000, Pingue Sr., toured San Daniele del Friuli, a town that is home to some of Italy's finest prosciutto producers. There he met with producers Rino & Angelo Coradazzi. The father-and-son team generously and graciously hosted Pingue at their prosciuttoficio. On his departure, Pingue left them his calling card and hoped that he one day could return the favour and host them in Canada. In 2001, this favour was called for as Coradazzi Sr. came to visit Niagara. Coradazzi saw a very small cottage business but the experience was no different than his own beginnings and understood the quality of the product. He offered to train anyone from the Pingue family in a bid to take the business out of the cottage and to a more commercial level without compromising the artisan qualities of the product. In late 2002, the Oliver-Bonacini group arranged through Chef Olson to have a tasting at Auberge du Pommier in Toronto, for all of its O-B senior kitchen staff. Many of the employees had toured or completed stages in European kitchens so quality charcuterie was not foreign to them. Pingue Sr. was away at the time so Mario Jr. went to deliver the presentation and oversee the tasting. The product was enthusiastically received, which led Mario Jr. to immediately realize the prosciutto might have leg to grow outside of Niagara.
In January 2003, Mario Jr., arranged to go to San Daniele and train with Coradazzi to learn more about the business. Mario Jr. attended at Brock University and was enrolled in the Co-op Accounting program. Working part-time for his family's business and at a top restaurant in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Mario Jr. decided to take up a carreer opportunity to work in Italy at a resort hotel as an assistant Maitre d'Hotel/Sommelier. He then gained valuable training in the kitchen. In the meantime, younger brother Fernando, while completing business courses at York University, obtained his real estate license and became a member in the OREA. He quickly immersed himself in the market and found great success early. Soon, the brothers were to reunite in the business where they grew up. Mario Sr. was looking to manage less on his foodservice business and focus on his other holdings as well as a farm he purchased. By the summer of 2003, Niagara Food Specialties moved to a 2400-square-foot facility and began producing for sales outside of Niagara. In 2007, Niagara Food Specialties received Provincial Inspection Approval. The Pingue brothers remain involved as well with event management overseeing full service catering. They and their families pilgrimage to Italy annually to continue learning, visiting San Daniele, Parma, Bologna, and their dad's hometown of Sulmona.
Miriam Streiman, a rising chef and advocate for local sustainable food is passionate about the culinary world. As a food stylist and recipe developer for programs on Food Network Canada, CBC Televison, CTV and TVOntario, Miriam believes in the power of communication and expression through the culinary arts and media. Miriam also coordinates events that celebrate the farmers and producers who nourish us, chefs that enlighten our palates and the communities that connect us all.
After studying and cooking in restaurants on the hillsides of Tuscany, Miriam was inspired to move from the bustling city and live in the country. Miriam and her husband Neil, are living their dream with the planned opening of Mad Maple Farm, a Country Inn and Agriturismo on their picturesque 100-acre farm near Creemore, Ontario. Miriam and Neil's guests will experience luxurious, comforting accommodations and authentic farm to table experiences which will connect us all to the wonders of nature.
Miriam is an active steering committee member of Slow Food Toronto and a committee member of Terroir, Ontario's leading hospitality symposium.
Chef Peter Tompkins is from the tiny town of Bath, New Brunswick. He found his way to Toronto in 1999, and worked as front-of-house for several years. He soon found his place in the kitchen alongside friend and head chef Michael van den Winkel at Stork on the Roof in mid-town Toronto. After graduating from George Brown College, Peter joined Michael's opening team at Quince Bistro, eventually taking over as head chef in 2010. At Quince, owners Jennifer Gittins and Michael van den Winkel have created a casual neighbourhood bistro that offers fresh, light, 'Mediterranean bistro' fare. Chef Tompkins uses seasonal and sustainable ingredients to produce an ever-changing menu.
Rocco Agostino, Pizzeria Libretto and Enoteca Sociale
Executive Chef and Partner for the Libretto Restaurant Group his restaurants focus on simple, regional specific Italian cuisine using local and seasonal ingredients. Pizzeria Libretto is currently the only certified Neapolitan pizzeria in Canada and Enoteca Sociale is a Roman Wine Bar, both are located in Toronto's West End. He is formerly the Chef/Owner of Silver Spoon Restaurant and his experience includes Executive Chef at Ferro Bar Café and studies abroad in Rome, Italy for several years. He is also a graduate of the Stratford Chef's School.
Monforte's owner/lead cheesemaker, is a veteran chef whose cuisine is well-known to patrons of Stratford's stellar restaurants Rundles and the Old Prune. A graduate of the inaugural class of '83 at the Stratford Chefs School, Ruth is past chef at the Stratford Festival's Green Room restaurant, simultaneously teaching at the Chefs School. Of Mennonite descent herself, Ruth is the mother of three sons, Ben, Christian and Daniel.
Ruth was honoured at the Stratford Optimism Place 10th Annual Women of the Year Awards. She won the 2008 Women in Agriculture Award in recognition of her innovative role as a cheesemaker and entrepreneur. The presenter said that Ruth shows a "deep love of her craft, one which is especially suited to women," and that "she has shaken our notion of what great cheese is." In accepting the award, Ruth left the crowd laughing when she said of the lofty introduction that preceded her: "I found it difficult to listen to. In fact, I'm just an old broad who had a mid-life crisis!"
Executive Chef Steffan Howard has enjoyed cooking in Paris, Montreal and Toronto. In Paris, Steffan worked for Euro Disney in the California Grill, being part of an international team of cooks who were rewarded a 14/20 by Gault Millau (only 16 other Hotel restaurants in Europe rated higher at the time), also doing stages at two different 2 star Michelin-rated restaurants and one local Patisserie. Upon his return to Canada, Steffan joined the Flagship Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, working his way onto the cooking line at Canada's first CAA 5 diamond restaurant team at Truffles. Steffan also enjoyed being Sous chef at both Jov Bistro and the Art Gallery of Ontario. He was also Head Chef at the Woodlawn Terrace Inn in Cobourg, Ontario securing a spot on the Ontario's Finest Inns Select Registry for food offerings for the 1st time in the Woodlawn Inn's 30 year history.
Steffan is proud to be integrated with Ontario's organic Food movement, spending 3 years working on an Organic farm as a product developer and initiating an organic catering company. In 2004, he was selected as not only the chairman of Toronto's 15th annual Feast of Fields, hosting a forum on aquaculture with David Suzuki as the keynote speaker, but also by the World Wildlife Foundation to help promote ecological agriculture. Cuisine Canada asked Steffan to speak at their bi-annual food conference at Guelph University, as well. Since learning and understanding the virtue and benefits of using local, indigenous and organic product, this ideology dominates when Steffan is customizing menu production for the Pegasus Hospitality Group. Steffan also enjoys cooking in the ethnic diversity that Toronto has to offer and has been invited to be a committee member for 'Savour Toronto' an organization developed to improve and create awareness of culinary tourism in Toronto.
Chef Steffan Howard and his international team continue to build beautiful food offerings at the Palais Royale Ballroom and recently Casa Loma taking advantage of Toronto's incredibly inspiring and diverse communities while creating his numerous menus.
Sybil believes that good healthy food is music to the senses and the soul. An accomplished baker and chef with considerable expertise in Caribbean cuisine, Sybil is a proud member of FoodShare's award winning kitchen team (Toronto Star Golden Whisk Award 2009, Bhayana Foundation Team Achievement Award 2009.) As a twelve year veteran, she now single-handedly coordinates FoodShare's Field to Table Catering program, creates delicious nutrient-dense soups for Toronto's under-housed in the Power Soups program, and helps prepare a delicious lunch for FoodShare staff, volunteers and guests every day.
Sybil's warmth and delicious food are known city-wide by her loyal clientele and attendees of festivals such as the Hot and Spicy Food Festival, and the Picnic at the Brickworks. Sybil is also credited with the invention of Jerk Tofu a decade ago when vegetarian options were often less than inspired. Her focus on healthy home made hospitality that delights both the eye and the stomach is always inclusive, meaning that there is something for all to enjoy. And her warm smile and calm approach reminds those who meet her that we can all stay centered if we take a page from her cookbook.
As the restaurant chef at EPIC, The Fairmont Royal York's signature Four Diamond restaurant, Chef Palmer brings a fresh interpretation to a Toronto classic. He is committed to sourcing local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients of the highest quality for his menus: seafood choices under the guidance of Oceanwise, rooftop herbs and honey from the hotel's own apiary all highlight EPIC's taste foundation.
Tony Metatawabin began his kitchen life as a young man working at Native Child & Family Services. He joined FoodShare in 2010 as a Youth Intern in the Focus on Food program and upon graduation, was hired as Youth Leader in the FoodShare kitchen. Tony takes great pleasure in creating healthy, delicious meals with FoodShare's youth interns and serving the students who participate in FoodShare's Good Food Café, a healthy cafeteria model. In 2010, Tony won second place in the So You Think You(th) Can Cook competition, an event sponsored by the Toronto Youth Food Policy Council.
Spice Route Executive Chef, Winlai Wong skillfully delivers the most appetizing plates from the kitchen to dining table. Winlai credits her father, and mentor, Manfred Wong (Canton China), for guiding her through the traditional wok items on the menu. In addition to training at Stratford Chefs School and her work at Monsoon, Winlai's career highlights include many notable charitable events such as Eat to the Beat for Breast Cancer, FoodShare's Recipe for Change and Taste of Toronto.
She has also had the pleasure of preparing Spice Route's signature dishes for some on the world's most notable celebrities, including Brad Pitt, Gerard Butler and Stevie Wonder to name a few.
Founded in 1998, 13th Street Winery specializes in small lots of estate grown and handcrafted table and sparkling wines. Award-winning Gamay Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and traditional method Sparkling wines make up the core of our product line, but new winemaker Jean Pierre Colas, brings with him years of experience in Chablis, Chile and Niagara and an special love for Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and blends which will create an even broader spectrum of excellent wines from which to choose. We welcome you to visit our magnificent new retail facility and marketplace at 1776 Fourth Avenue in St. Catharines. A stunning collection of original Canadian abstract paintings and sculpture grace the interior and enhance the grounds of this contemporary yet tranquil, inviting Niagara farmhouse winery. Production greenhouses with blackberries and heirloom tomatoes stand amidst estate vineyards of Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir and Riesling and beside the ancient Carolinian forests that define 12-mile creek. After a formal tasting of our wines, you might decide to order a glass or two alongside a plate of artisanal charcuterie or cheeses from Ontario, Quebec and Europe. The wrap around verandah is a perfect spot to wile away the hours with friends. You may also plan to attend one of the many 13 Wine & Food Experiences and winery events that will be scheduled throughout the spring and summer months. The 13th Bakery and Marketplace is always fully stocked with freshly baked butter tarts, gourmet pizzas and homemade jams, jellies and chutneys. You will also find an excellent selection of crafts, jewelry and ornaments on site if that is your preference. For more information on the wines, hours and events schedule at 13th Street Winery, please visit the website at www.13thstreetwinery.com
Black Oak Brewery has been brewing beer since the last millennium - 1999, that is! We make slow brewed, all malt, authentic hand crafted beer that's true to style. Focusing on quality, character and consistency, our Pale Ale and Nut Brown are gold medal winners in the Great Canadian Brewing Awards. We also make seasonal beers in limited quantities, each suited to the season they represent. Look for our beers at better restaurants and pubs and select Beer Stores and LCBO's, or stop by our brewery retail store. We deliver our beers fresh from our fridge to yours.
Bull Dog Coffee takes the espresso experience to the next level. Having opened its doors in 2003, Bull Dog is Toronto's first latte art coffee shop, and made a name for itself by serving traditional espresso made drinks. Featuring unique blends created with the finest Arabica beans from North Africa and Central America, Bull Dog is a leader in transforming Toronto's coffee scene. Proprietor Stuart Ross is a Central Region Canadian Barista Champion, and is widely credited with jump-starting the creation of the current coffee scene in the city. Bull Dog is known for having fully trained certified baristas serving the best of the best. In a 2011 Toronto Star article, Raising the bar: Toronto's ultimate café, Ross was called "Toronto's godfather of coffee and the man who launched a million barista careers."
In 1978, John Pennachetti, Sr. and his son Leonard planted some of Niagara's first European varietal vines, Riesling sourced from a German nursery, at Cave Spring Vineyard, located high up on a terrace of the Niagara Escarpment overlooking Lake Ontario known as the Beamsville Bench. The site caught their attention for its gentle slope and stony, limestone-rich soils, holding great promise for cool-climate viticulture. In 1986, together with winemaker Angelo Pavan, the family founded Cave Spring Cellars.
Today, Cave Spring controls more than 70 hectares of vineyards on the Beamsville Bench and the Twenty Mile Bench. It is this area's unique combination of geology, elevation and proximity to Lake Ontario that enables Cave Spring to produce wines of depth and complex character. The glacial-till limestone, shale and sandstone soils provide a nutrient-rich base for feeding the vines, while the estates' gently sloping cliffs capture the temperate lake-effect breezes that extend the growing season. Known as Canada's pre-eminent Riesling producer, Cave Spring also specializes in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Gamay.
This family-run estate winery farms 270 acres of pristine vines in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Founded in 1978 by Canadian wine industry visionaries the Bosc family, this winery continues to innovate with pioneering viticultural research in the continual quest to enhance quality. All their wines are crafted from grapes they have grown on their own vineyards in the St. David's Bench and Four Mile Creek sub-appellations using sustainable farming techniques. Their portfolio includes solid, well-structured single vineyard wines, artisanally produced rare and unique varieties as well as bold reds that are built for aging.
Classic Gourmet Coffee stringently selects the finest specialty coffee beans and meticulously roasts them with a unique system. Classic is recognized for both outstanding quality and an environmentally responsible roasting process. With the capability to incorporate specific profiles developed for each coffee and the precise control of roasting temperatures, the utmost quality and consistency is attained. This state of the art technology ensures that no excess energy is wasted. By recirculating heat and eliminating the need for after-burners, a 77% reduction in emissions and fuel consumption is achieved. The "Rufino" line of espresso exemplifies the passion and precision of this family business.
Frogpond Farm is the first winery in Ontario that received organic certification for both the farming and the winemaking/processing. All wines are crafted from grapes grown on this unique family farm in a way that enhances the natural balance in the environment. In their wine making they choose not to use any additives /preservatives or other fining agents derived from egg or fish products. Therefore their wines are vegan friendly. They also produce an outstanding organic grape juice.
In addition, Frogpond Farm is using 100% renewable energy provided by Bullfrog Power and is certified by LOCAL FOOD PLUS as a winery that employs sustainable production systems, ensures safe and fair conditions for farm workers, protects and enhances wildlife habitat, conserves energy and cuts greenhouse gases. Their vigorous, low yielding vineyards in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake ensure concentrated, complex wines of outstanding terroir and quality. You will taste the difference.
Henry of Pelham Winery is family owned and located in the Short Hills Bench along the Niagara Escarpment. Founded by the Speck family in 1988, the land was first deeded to our great, great, great grandfather, Nicholas Smith (ca. 1778). Nicholas was a United Empire Loyalist who fled his home in Pennsylvania to serve the Crown and defend Upper Canada. Part Iroquois and fluent in the language he served as a translator and a fifer with Butler's Rangers during the American Revolution. For his service he was granted lands and bought others which he settled, the same land which the winery sits upon today. His son Henry planted the first vineyards on our land.
More than two centuries after our Smith ancestors settled in Niagara, in 1982 our parents Paul and Bobbie Speck bought back several contiguous parcels of the original family farm. Over the next few years as teenagers we spent weekends and summers clearing the land of Henry's original vineyards, orchards and a sheep farm. We replaced the vineyards with modern wine producing grape varieties. The oldest shovel planted vines contribute much of the fruit for our Reserve and Speck Family Reserve wines. – Paul, Matthew and Daniel Speck
In 1970 David and Donna Lailey purchased the family farm from David's parents, at this time it was planted to French hybrid grapes and mixed fruits. They began to steadily transform the 20 acre parcel into a vineyard planted to chardonnay, pinot noir and gerwurztraminer. Over the course of the next 40 years other varieties have been planted but chardonnay and pinot noir have remained the focus in the vineyard. In 2001 a winery was built to showcase the wines being produced from this vineyard, a small production of 6-7,000 cases that can only be purchased from the winery boutique. Signature wines from these old vines that are driven by terroir, the wines show great finesse and elegance.
Since planting its first vineyard fifteen years ago, Malivoire has pioneered an innovative, eco-centric approach to wine growing. Malivoire considers itself more a grower than a maker of wines, espousing a philosophy that the vineyard is where wine is given its life and soul. This belief finds its ultimate expression in single-vineyard Chardonnays from the Moira and Mottiar sites. These, along with Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Malivoire's other cool climate varietal wines, reflect the truest character of their birthplace in the Niagara Peninsula's Beamsville Bench sub-appellation.
Mill Street Brewery was named "Canadian Brewery of the Year" for three years running at the Canadian Brewing Awards (2007-2009). From our best-selling Original Organic Lager, Tankhouse Ale, and Stock Ale, to our Belgian Wit, Coffee Porter, and new Lemon Tea Beer, we're always having fun creating truly unique and delicious craft beers. Cheers!
Ontario's Own pure and simple prepared foods and beverages is an exciting new line of local food products now available at a grocer near you all year long. The products are inspired by the flavor and variety of Ontario's farm bounty. Each product features specific growers, and lists where the primary ingredients come from. The company is proud to highlight the farmer as the unsung hero of prepared foods. And believes that it is the quality of their ingredients that make Ontario's Own products very special.
The Ontario's Own product line includes pure fruit purees, soups, stocks and sauces made from high quality ingredients; Ontario's only sparkling water; and prepared sauces and meals developed by Chef Jamie Kennedy, the first of the company's local chef partnerships. Kennedy is a well-known pioneer of Ontario's local and slow food movement. Surveys show that consumers want to choose foods grown in Ontario, and while that desire is fairly well-served in meat and dairy markets, and on a seasonal basis with fresh fruit, vegetables, it falls short when it comes to prepared foods, and that is the gap that Ontario's Own products are helping to fill. Currently, Ontario's Own products are found in the refrigerated section of select Metro, Loblaw, and Longo stores, Rowe Farms stores, Fiesta Farms, and other specialty grocery stores. A complete list of stores carrying Ontario's Own products is available at www.ontariosown.ca
Rosewood Estates is a boutique winery located on the renowned Beamsville Bench of the Niagara escarpment. The winery is owned by the Roman family and managed by a team of passionate beekeepers and wine industry experts. We are proud to produce award-winning cool climate wines. Our winemaker, Natalie Spytkowsky, crafts small lots of premium VQA wines as well as meads produced from our estate honey. Our wines reflect the vintage and showcase the unique terroir of Niagara.
Authentic "green" credentials make Southbrook Vineyards a must-see on your Niagara wine tour. And the wines will keep you coming back! This certified organic vineyard and winery is also Canada's only certified biodynamic winery. The stunning hospitality pavilion awaits your visit. The glass building with its remarkable purple wall was awarded LEED Gold recognition for environmental design, as well as numerous international and local design awards. Bring your camera! In the summer, relax on Southbrook's patio with a glass of wine and a gourmet pizza from our outdoor oven.
Southbrook has grounded its reputation in classic, elegant Chardonnay and stylish, refined Cabernet Merlot. They manage inventories so that back vintages are always available for tasting and for sale at the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Southbrook's famous fruit wine, Framboise, is also available at the LCBO along with the crowd-pleasing Cabernet Merlot Shiraz. Other select table wines are released occasionally in Vintages.
Over 120 specialty merchants and vendors await you at Toronto's premier market at Front and Jarvis Streets. In the centre of the historic Old Town Toronto, close to the hub of today's downtown are St. Lawrence Market and St. Lawrence Hall. Both have served as Toronto's social centre, City Hall and market place throughout the City's history.
Canada's very first espresso machine arrived in Toronto in 1954 when Giacomo Zuccarini opened the "Sidewalk Caffé" at Yonge and College. So began the initial distribution of the Gaggia line in Canada, and the inception of Zuccarini Importing Company Ltd. Still family-run to this day and built on a solid reputation of expert sales and service, our line has expanded to include other famous brand names such as Elektra, Nuova Simonelli, Franke and Pasquini. We also feature the extensive line of SIFA Italian component bar systems and displays, plus the exclusive line of Routin 1883 syrups & sauces. Zuccarini Company - Canada's premier importer of fine Italian espresso and bar equipment for home, office & commercial use.
Tickets to Recipe for Change cost just $125 for a great evening out featuring a lovely full meal and accompanying beverages, and are available in a wide variety of ways.
Your delicious full meal at Recipe for Change will be a Tasting Adventure consisting of a series of "composed plates." This approach allows each chef to present their own creative vision, combining foods and flavours to form a small meal. Every guest will be welcome to visit each of our thirty stations, meaning that your full meal will be a selection of smaller meals. Chefs will ensure that there is great food for all, and that vegetarians, vegans, and those with other food considerations can be accommodated.
Watch this space for tantalizing up-to-the moment updates as we confirm what each chef will be presenting, and as our beverage suppliers confirm their offerings!
Confirmed thus far:
George Tyminski, Annona at the Park Hyatt
Duck Mille Feuille and White Asparagus Salad with Truffle Vinaigrette
Steffan Howard, Palais Royale
Ontario Goat Cheese, Apple & Pistachio Truffles with Preserved Casa Garden Sorrel
Luis Velenzuela, Torito
Montaditos of Smoked Salmon with Faro and Crema Fresca
Rocco Agostino, Pizzeria Libretto
Patate e Fagioli Chickpea - White Bean Purée, Chard, Sweet Potato, Tomato Confit
Doug McNish
Cornmeal Crusted Tempeh Croquette with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli
John Sinopoli, Table 17
Tajarin in Porcini Cream Sauce with Hazelnuts and Gorgonzola
Albert Ponzo, Le Sélect Bistro
Texas Style Beef Brisket
Emerie Brine, Bernardin
Baked Cinnamon Puff Pastry, filled with Apple Pie in a jar, topped with Crème Fraiche
Donna Dooher, Mildred's Temple Kitchen
Vegetable Tagine
Timothy Palmer, EPIC at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel
Ontario Lamb Kofta with Monforte Sheep Yoghurt Raita
Winlai Wong, Spice Route
King Oyster Mushroom Jiaozi Dumpling
Your evening at Recipe for Change will include an intriguing silent auction featuring a GE Café Dual Fuel Range, Exciting Culinary Experiences and more!
Watch this space for up-to-the moment updates as we confirm what will be auctioned off!
FoodShare is extremely grateful to our sponsors for Recipe for Change, without whom this important fundraiser in support of our work to bring healthy food and Food Literacy education to schools would not be possible. Many thanks to these great organizations, which we hope you will support:
What IS Recipe for Change and What Do Funds Raised Support?
Recipe for Change is a celebration of food with a purpose, supporting FoodShare's innovative and multi-faceted work toward Good Healthy Food for All and specifically the Field to Table Schools program, which returns Food Literacy to students from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12.
About FoodShare Toronto
FoodShare (www.foodshare.net) is a Toronto non-profit community organization whose vision is Good Healthy Food for All. Founded in 1985 to address hunger in our communities, FoodShare takes a unique multifaceted and long-term approach to hunger and food issues. We work to empower individuals, families and communities through food-based initiatives, while advocating for the broader public policies needed to ensure that everyone has adequate access to sustainably produced, good healthy food. Working "from field to table," we focus on the entire system that puts food on our tables: from the growing, processing and distribution of food to its purchasing, cooking and consumption.
Our programs, which reach over 145,000 children and adults per month in Toronto, include Student Nutrition, Field to Table Schools, the Good Food Café, Focus on Food youth internships, the Good Food Box, Good Food Markets, Fresh Produce for Schools and Community Groups, Baby and Toddler Nutrition, Community Kitchens, Field to Table Catering, the FoodLink Hotline, Power Soups, Community Gardening, Composting, Beekeeping and Urban Agriculture.
About FoodShare's Field to Table Schools Program
At FoodShare, we're cooking up a Recipe for Change: reminding children what food is and where it comes from, teaching that healthy food also tastes good, and helping them to choose it for themselves. After many years of mapping curriculum connections to food and the environment and creating innovative workshops, tools and resources for teachers and students in our Field to Table Schools program, FoodShare Toronto is taking this work to a new level, leading the charge to embed food education - along with healthy active lifestyles and environmental values - in the Ontario curriculum and make Food Literacy a requirement of graduation for our students. Recipe for Change will take our vision for students to new heights: a healthy cafeteria in every school, and all students being taught to cook, garden and compost throughout all the subject areas.
Recipe for Change will take place at the St. Lawrence Market in the North Building at the Northwest corner of Front Street at Jarvis Street. Very conveniently located right downtown, this location is easily accessible via TTC, with ample parking nearby. More specific directions and information can be found at http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/about_us
I'm vegetarian, vegan, or have other food allergies or dietary considerations: will there be enough for me to eat?
FoodShare's vision is "Good Healthy Food for All" and we are working with the chefs to ensure that everyone who attends will be able to enjoy a wonderful full meal.
How does Recipe for Change differ from other fundraising dinners featuring Toronto chefs?
Recipe for Change supports FoodShare's innovative and multi-faceted work toward Good Healthy Food for All and specifically the Field to Table Schools program, which returns Food Literacy to students from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12. This event brings together for one event an incredible number of top Toronto chefs who share FoodShare's vision of returning food education to schools. We are talking with them about ways in which we will continue to work together through both concrete action in classrooms and toward transformative educational change in Ontario.
Attendees comment enthusiastically that Recipe for Change is fun and that it has a great "feel", unlike any other event. They tell us they love the opportunity to mingle and chat with the chefs, beverage partners and each other, and they love that we get the balance right in terms of our numbers, the bountiful food, the lack of line-ups and the flow of the event:
"… a Food Network fantasy come to life" – Torontoist
"The perfect foodie fundraiser" – National Post
"A must-attend" - James Chatto
"The best fundraising feast I have attended…fantastic food and uplifting spirit." - Marion Kane, Food Sleuth, Broadcaster, former Food Editor, Toronto Star
"The chefs were on hand to prepare, plate, and serve their food, and discuss their inspiration with the guests. For an aspiring gourmand, the chance to get up close and personal with the city's best culinary minds, who are so often hidden in the kitchen, was a treat in and of itself. And the food!..." – Torontoist
"There are more than a few food fundraising events in Toronto, but few offer an evening of delight like FoodShare's Recipe for Change. Take your favourite chefs, cooking small dishes using local produce, add some local wine, put it all in a historic venue, and you've got a recipe for success, and, indeed, Recipe for Change." - Spotlight Toronto
What should I wear?
Recipe for Change will be a casually elegant event. You'll be dazzled by the food and the atmosphere we conjure in the character-filled site of Toronto's first Marketplace. We encourage you to express your sense of style, but to also "dress to enjoy" -- so that you are able to savour a wonderful evening.
For more information, please contact Julia Rhodes: Julia@foodshare.net or 416.363.6441, ext 272.
Attendees comment enthusiastically that Recipe for Change is fun and that it has a great "feel", unlike any other event. They tell us they love the opportunity to mingle and chat with the chefs, beverage partners and each other, and they love that we get the balance right in terms of our numbers, the bountiful food, the lack of line-ups and the flow of the event:
"… a Food Network fantasy come to life" – Torontoist
"The perfect foodie fundraiser" – National Post
"A must-attend" - James Chatto
"The best fundraising feast I have attended…fantastic food and uplifting spirit." - Marion Kane, Food Sleuth, Broadcaster, former Food Editor, Toronto Star
"The chefs were on hand to prepare, plate, and serve their food, and discuss their inspiration with the guests. For an aspiring gourmand, the chance to get up close and personal with the city's best culinary minds, who are so often hidden in the kitchen, was a treat in and of itself. And the food!..." – Torontoist
"There are more than a few food fundraising events in Toronto, but few offer an evening of delight like FoodShare's Recipe for Change. Take your favourite chefs, cooking small dishes using local produce, add some local wine, put it all in a historic venue, and you've got a recipe for success, and, indeed, Recipe for Change." - Spotlight Toronto
If you would like a taste of Recipe for Change 2011, please visit our photo gallery.
