The ION Harbour, a Maltese restaurant in Valletta, Malta, helmed by Chef Patron Simon Rogan at the beautiful Iniala Harbour House Hotel, serves extraordinary dishes and scenic views from its rooftop terrace vantage point. In the fall of 2023, I was fortunate enough to spend a week in Malta and experience everything the beautiful island archipelago has to offers. During my travels, the culinary gods graced me with available time for dinner reservations.

From the moment I was escorted to my table to my last bite, the ION Harbour was truly one of the most cherished experiences of my life, and it came as no surprise when it was honoured with not one, but two Michelin Stars by The MICHELIN Guide Malta 2024, a first for the Mediterrane anarchipelago.

But Chef Rogan is undoubtedly a catalyst for this level of prestige since another of his restaurants has previously garnered a Michelin star of its own. Recognized as one of the pioneers of the farm-to-table movement, he’s been building a celebrated international reputation.

Today, Chef Rogan maintains a sustainably operated farm, called Our Farm, and an unwavering focus on hyperlocal and seasonal ingredients as the chef patron of nine award-winning restaurants across London, Britain’s Lake District, Malta and Hong Kong.

His efforts toward sustainability were awarded with the Michelin Green Star for two of his restaurants. So it was a match made in heaven when Chef Rogan took the reins of ION Harbour in October 2022, since Malta’s commitment to gastronomy and agricultural practices harmonized so well with his.

From the symphony of flavours to the exceptional service, you will be left in delighted amazement by the ION Harbour. The staff functions as a synchronized unit, highly sensitive to a guest’s every need, trained not just to serve but to care – to the point that if the evening breeze becomes a bit chilly a server will swiftly appear with blankets to keep guests warm before they even think to ask. That, in a nutshell, is the Maltese way – not doing things out of obligation but out of consideration.

Maltese cuisine reflects the island’s unique past, and has been influenced by several countries, and restaurants across Malta each bring their unique spin to dishes. What remains unchanged is the high standard.

The MICHELIN Guide Malta’s 2024 selection consists of 40 restaurants:

• One 2 Michelin Star restaurant (new)
• Six 1 Michelin Star restaurants (one new)
• Five Bib Gourmand restaurants (one new)
• 28 recommended restaurants (five new)

The post The ION Harbour: Maltese Cuisine Wins Michelin Prestige appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

At its core, it prides itself on its consistent deliverance of bold flavours, mouthwatering presentation and a vibrant setting that makes every moment at Abrielle unforgettable. If you are set to have a night out with your friends and family, or a romantic dinner or brunch, Abrielle is the place to be.

I was fortunate enough to experience everything Abrielle has to offer. From the moment you walk in, you are embraced with warm smiles and live music that perfectly sets the upscale mood. From there, the lovely hostess will personally escort you to your table, which is softly lit by an elegant table lamp. The décor, soft colours and wall art immediately put your mind at ease as you take in your surroundings.

The menu is organized by three categories: from the sea, along the coast and from the garden. From signature cocktails to an array of tasty shareable appetizers, like the croquetta and burrata, to the 40-ounce ribeye and shrimp spaghettini with a dollop of caviar, each dish will leave you speechless as you will be lost in Mediterranean-flavour heaven.

With the sprawling metropolis as its backdrop, Abrielle is an oasis for people to share, connect, converse and enjoy. Moreover, it has a story to share with its guests — a story of lovers living well, joyously dining and genuinely bonding.

Abrielle
355 King St W

Toronto, ON M5V 1J6

Breakfast:
Wednesday — Friday / Saturday & Sunday
7 am — 12 pm / 9 am —2 pm

Dinner:
Sunday — Wednesday / Thursday — Saturday
5 am — 10 pm / 5 pm — 11 pm

The post Abrielle: A True Mediterranean Dining Experience appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

What feeling should guests experience when they walk into a restaurant? From cozy to elegant or grungy to sophisticated, any restaurant’s experience depends on elements that extend beyond the kitchen. The ambience of any restaurant will be established from the moment a guest walks in. Lighting, music, aromas, décor, furniture and even the wardrobe of the servers play a role in your dining experience.

“Elevated comfort” is how Stanley Sun describes the guest experience at Alobar Downtown. Alobar is locally, nationally and internationally renowned for its hospitality and culinary quality, especially for its balance between upscale and laid-back dining experiences. Alobar Downtown is nestled in the heart of Toronto’s bustling Financial District, where Mason Studio was determined to redefine the city’s ultimate dining experience through design.

Sun, Mason Studio’s creative director and co-founder, works alongside the studio’s other co-founder and its executive director, Ashley Rumsey. Both have dedicated their lives to creating beautifully designed spaces that are less about minimalism and more about essentialism.

“It is about creating a space that has everything that it needs and nothing too much more.”

At the core of their work, they understand that different environments impact people physiologically, emotionally and mentally.

They stayed true to their guiding principle of matching the interior design with the food and service experience. “It is about creating a space that has everything that it needs and nothing too much more. The purpose of that is to allow anybody to come into the space and feel welcomed but also to let the food stand out. The food at Alobar is incredibly exquisite, so the design of the space must not detract from that,” says Sun.

The best design is when we don’t know it is there. It works effortlessly and feels right. Decorative components like the descending sculptures from the ceiling tie the space together and create a level of intimacy that transcends the dining experience. The small effect of light movement creates a gentle, soft beauty in the guest’s surroundings that radiates comfortability. From intentional lighting to contrasting marble with natural wood, curving and smooth surfaces, you have almost anything that you desire from the venue.

“One half of the space is the bar, which is a little bit more energetic and livelier. Just adjacent to that is the dining area, which we created as a more elegant, romantic and conversational space. No matter the occasion, it can cater to what you’re looking for,” says Sun.

Mason Studio has established itself with a multi-award-winning history of projects that showcase its flawless design. Along its journey, the firm has left its mark on almost every sector of interior design, from hotels to retail, hospitality to private residences, understanding how people interact with their environments and applying that knowledge to every project. However, an environment must be more than just functional ― to truly succeed, it must also feel and look beautiful. Although Mason Studio’s designers are not specialists in one industry, their notable specialty is their ability to find ways to create designs of subtle elegance.

The post Mason Studio: Design Is Everywhere And Everything appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

Edo has built a trusted brand based on blending only the highest-quality and freshest ingredients with Japanese-inspired cooking techniques for a truly unique food experience. At Edo Japan, it’s all about delivering a one-of-a-kind taste that stands out among choices when it comes time to grab the kids some fuel on the way to hockey or soccer practice, delicious lunches for the team at the office, snacks to power those homework and study sessions or date night before hitting a movie.

The teppanyaki-style of food preparation features a 450F teppan grill that sizzles and sears freshly chopped vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, cabbage, peppers and mushrooms. Protein choices include Canadian chicken and beef, shrimp and tofu all perfectly grilled and joined with a bed of fluffy steamed rice, ramen-style noodles or in one of the succulent ramen or udon soups. Edo’s signature teriyaki sauce is always front and centre with customers deciding whether the day calls for “one scoop, two scoops or three scoops”. With an ever-evolving menu, there will always be something new to try at Edo, like the new Mango Bubble Tea or Tiger sushi rolls.

With over 11 million meals sold annually and more than 180 locations across the country, Edo helps long-time loyalists and new customers alike satisfy their cravings with a diverse menu prepared fresh every time — dine-in, delivery or to take out while you’re on the go. Satisfying those cravings whenever they strike is at the heart of Edo’s mission to Honour the Crave.

The post Edo Japan serves up sizzling options for fast and delicious food appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

The ongoing expansion of Toronto’s TOBEN Hospitality Group is something to behold. It was begun in 2005 by Elana Kochman, Chef Toben Kochman and Ryan Feldman. Their shared vision was to craft a dynamic culinary journey. With an unwavering dedication to exquisite cuisine, top-notch service and unforgettable celebrations, TOBEN has firmly established itself as the reigning powerhouse in the catering and event- service-management industry for the past two decades, providing everything from food trucks to events and wedding catering to venue management to home delivery – and now their first-ever outpost, The Pearl, an artisanal country market and snack bar in Bala/Muskoka.

The Pearl proudly opened this summer and has become a local culinary stop that offers quality contemporary cuisine in cottage country. Locals and travellers who want to order food for group entertaining can grab a bite on their way up north or enjoy a night out with family and friends no matter what they crave.

Chef Toben Kochman began his studies at the Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in Paris, where he was awarded Le Grand Diplôme for excellence. Before breaking into the Toronto food scene at Auberge du Pommier and Susur, he apprenticed for Daniel Boulud. Throughout his journey, his passion for food and his aim for perfection flourished.

Q: How would you describe The Pearl guest experience in one word?
A: To put it in one word, I would say sensory. We’ve created a special space that offers a true experience from the moment you arrive, and that experience varies from person to person. Whether you’re looking to quickly stop in to grab some pantry items to go or coming to sit for hours over dinner and cocktails with a group of friends, The Pearl can be enjoyed in so many ways. This variety remains constant — the fact that you feel like you’ve been taken away for a moment in time. You can savour the food and your company and disconnect from your daily grind.

Q: For customers walking through the front doors of The Pearl with their friends, families or dates, what do you think they are going to be most excited about?
A: The food! It’s been a passion project for us creating this unique menu, and we’re seeing the positive feedback tenfold. You can stop by to grab a slice of lemon loaf to nibble on during your drive or sit down to indulge in a grilled Australian wagyu coulotte steak. We pride ourselves on this variety, and we put the same dedication into our light bites as we do into our decadent dishes.

Q: How would you describe your cooking style?
A: Our catchphrase at TOBEN is “global food with a twist.”We offer such a global variety of cuisines, ranging from big and bold flavours to very nuanced and subtle approaches, but I will say that I always lead with great attention to detail. Whether that’s how flavours might pack a punch when they are combined, the way a dish is plated or how we serve it to guests, it’s the little intricacies that are the most important to me. I think that food creates an experience for those enjoying it, and that goes far beyond just what it tastes like. How does it look? How does it smell? A dish can tell a story and it’s up to us to write that narrative in a detailed and passionate way.

Elana Kochman, co-founder of The Pearl and TOBEN Hospitality Group, says, “I’m more of the dreamer, with big visions and exciting plans. Chef Toben is the culinary creative who loves to innovate and try new things, and Ryan is the level- headed one who keeps us grounded and moving forward.” For Elana, success is the product of being receptive to other people’s ideas. The combination of great minds and ideas put into action is what makes the difference.

Q: What was the guiding philosophy when establishing The Pearl?
A: Innovation and teamwork are the values we most want to share with our guests. Our modern take on cottage cuisine is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how we innovate. We offer a wide variety of grab-and-go dishes in our market space, as well as the opportunity to sit down on our patio and enjoy beautifully plated meals for dinner from our snack bar. The cuisine is unique, accessible and mouth-wateringly good. We are different from any other venue in the area with the food we offer, how we serve it and the onsite experience we provide. We wanted to bring a modern take on dining to the Muskoka area, and that’s always been a leading force for us. Our staff are really like family to us. There is a camaraderie that you can feel when you walk in the door. There’s a genuine love for working together.

Q: How do you think The Pearl has positioned itself for changing the way people vacation or experience Muskoka?
A: One of the main reasons we opened The Pearl was spurred by observing our clients, friends and family pack up their cars in the city with huge prepared food packages from us, along with a variety of Toronto-based grocers and bakers, and then head up north. We wanted to bring some of that desirable cuisine to the area while still staying true to the authentic, more rustic, nature of Bala. This allows people, whether local or seasonal, to visit a spot right in town and get to enjoy delicious, fresh, modern cuisine, and, by doing so, support the community. Our evening reservations are just crammed and that’s truly a testament to the fact that The Pearl feels like a place that was missing in the area. We have found our home.

The post The Pearl: The Culinary Heart Of Muskoka appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

Earls Restaurant Group is committed to offering an affordable yet fine-dining restaurant experience to all those with an empty stomach. The grand opening of its new Toronto flagship location at Yorkdale Shopping Centre showcased the stunning design of the restaurant, which was inspired by and tailored for the Yorkdale demographic.

Earls Yorkdale will be joining the five other locations in the Greater Toronto Area and the 59 other locations across Canada.

The Earls menu was meticulously created by renowned Chef David Wong. The menu is inspired by world travels and offers guests a balance of healthy and indulgent dishes created with quality ingredients.

Chef Wong’s culinary journey is an interesting one, to say the least. With a bachelor’s degree in social work, he travelled abroad with his wife and unexpectedly fell in love with the food of Europe, which quickly inspired him to pursue the culinary arts. He eventually enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at Vancouver Island University.

Q: Many tasks require your guidance and input both in the kitchen and on the business end. Was there a learning curve for you to be able to balance both at the beginning?
A: For me, those two are the same. They both must work together. I think every chef will tell you that you can’t run a successful restaurant without knowing how the business works. My focus is on making sure that the dishes we create are delicious enough to be ordered again. We have a great team of people who make sure that the dishes are executable.

Q: How has the process been leading up to the grand opening of Earls Yorkdale?
A: The process has been amazing. I’ve been super-excited. As soon as I knew that we were going to have a location at Yorkdale, I was just thrilled. We wanted to make sure that the guests here have something unique to gravitate toward, to get excited about. A beautiful location, which was key to it all, ensures that we create an awesome experience for the guests.

Q: What do you think guests are going to be most excited about?
A: I think the guests are going to be excited about being able to go somewhere with their family or partner and have a cool, casual and fun experience. That’s really what it is all about. It has to be social and enjoyable from top to bottom. I’m excited for them to try the Bangkok Bowl, the seafood tower and Yuzu Tuna Tataki.

Q: What is on the horizon for Earls? What goals have you set?
A: The future of Earls is to innovate and to find new international trends that we think our guests will love. That is non-stop. But [we want] to also really focus on massive, memorable and bold flavours.

Revered Sommelier David Stansfield meticulously developed the wine list featuring select quality wines from across Ontario and abroad. Sommelier Stansfield, an Italian and French wine scholar as well as a wine writer and educator, has worked in all facets of the wine industry – from cellar to sales to service. As a teenager, he worked as a cellar hand, assisting the winemaking production from processing fruit through fermentation to finishing and maturing wine. It is safe to say this man knows his wine.

Q: What was your pairing process when forming the Earls wine menu with the food menu?
A: I thought a ton about how people like to eat at Earls, which is coming with friends and having pizza and sushi on the table. You might have something spicy or a classic steak. So, I wanted to have a wine menu that can go with anything — wines that are versatile, fun, delicious and from all over the world.

Q: Do you have a favourite wine region?
A: Everyone loves asking sommeliers this question. I’ve got two kids, and that’s like asking which one is my favourite kid. If I was stuck on a desert island, and I only had one wine, I would go with a sparkling wine. I love champagne, of course. But I also love Canadian sparkling wine. On our menu, my favourite wine is the Benjamin Bridge Brut from the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia.

Q: Earls is an evolving casual, fine-dining restaurant with growing popularity. What goals did you have in place when being appointed Corporate Sommelier?
A: Earls is a massive institution in Canada and now North America. I felt a lot of responsibility. Honestly, my goals were humble. I wanted to put delicious wines on the menu. Goal No. 1 was to include drinks that people love, and, then goal No. 2 was to put my own personal stamp on it. That way maybe people can learn a little bit about what I love in wine. So, I snuck in some cool natural wines, as well as organic, biodynamic and sustainable wines. That was important to me as well.

The post Earls Kitchen + Bar: Strives For Excellence At Its New Yorkdale Location appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

With an Italian grandmother on his father’s side with whom he’d make pasta and a mother who’d cook delicious Polish dishes, Michael Angeloni was never far from good food. But it was when he received Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry Cookbook for Christmas at the age of 16 that the spark was ignited to follow cooking as a career.

“I was reading through it and couldn’t believe people did that with food,” he shares. “I said that I need to learn how to do this. So, I got a job at a high-end restaurant the next year, and the rest is history.”

For Angeloni, who was born and raised in Scarborough, Ont., that history is made up of notable names offering career-shaping experiences. Grant van Gameren, who founded the acclaimed Black Hoof, let him create his own dishes and helped him creatively, even though he wasn’t the chef. Dario Tomaselli at ORO gave Angeloni his start as an apprentice.

Matteo Paonessa, who founded Blacktree restaurant, located in Burlington, Ont., gave Angeloni his first paid kitchen position and taught him what it was like to work in the industry. Watching David Lee, with whom Angeloni worked for four years, stylistically write a menu and design a dish sparked his creativity as a young person.

Today, it all culminates in an impressive portfolio of Angeloni’s projects. These include Union Chicken, an eatery serving rotisserie and fried chicken; Amano, which focuses on homemade Italian dishes; and Ray’s Food & Liquor, dedicated to Southernstyle comfort food.

“I Was Reading Through It And Couldn’t Believe People Did That With Food”

For Angeloni, they all scratch a different itch. Where Union Chicken was his first restaurant and holds a special place for him, he says Amano is “near and dear” to his heart because it’s where he currently spends most of his time and is founded on lots of his grandmother’s recipes.

It’s this range that prompts Angeloni to struggle when it comes to describing his signature style. “Italian, pasta, breads and desserts are things I’m known for and very comfortable with, but I love being uncomfortable,” he says. “I went and ran a Mexican restaurant for four years, not really knowing Mexican food, but I was so intrigued by it and wanted to learn it.”

Even when he talks about future plans, he shares that he has more projects lined up in the coming years. He describes how he wants to go back to exploring classic French cuisine, where his training originated. He also wants to expand his culinary talents. “There’s a whole world of everything in Asia I’m so interested in but know nothing about, from Vietnamese and Indian to Japanese,” he notes.

However, there is one flavourful thread that runs its way through everything Angeloni does. “I’m trying to be as seasonal as possible, work with cool, local providers and create a great experience for the guest in whatever environment the restaurant happens to be.”

As is the case with many restaurateurs, the pandemic had a huge effect, closing doors and forcing eateries to rethink their business models. For Angeloni, it shone a light on the people behind the scenes. “The pandemic showed me how much I care, and I try to work hard for the staff and how important they are to us. They make the restaurants what they are.” He continues to note how great it was “to see people’s resilience and how hardworking they are in a terrible time.”

He’s also one for innovation. Most recently, he started an Italian road-trip dinner series at Amano Notte, the private part of the Amano restaurant, where the space hosts an event covering a different region of Italy every month. At the time of our interview, he was doing his family’s region of Le Marche, northeast of Rome.

“It’s a five-course meal. You can get wine pairings. We sold out in 30 minutes for this one,” he shares. “Sometimes, there’ll be guest chefs. My pasta maker is from Sicily, so we’ll do a Sicilian dinner with him and some of his family recipes.”

INTERVIEW BY ESTELLE ZENTIL

The post Michael Angeloni Is A Chef Who Enjoys Cooking Outside Of His Comfort Zone appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

Before they founded their Italian restaurant, Morellina’s, Sandra Morelli and Lina Hatem were living different lives. Where Morelli came from a family of pasta makers, Hatem was teaching piano, interested in starting a music school.

But after a period of cooking for each other, changing recipes and finding how much fun they were having with food, they decided to give the Morellina’s venture a go. As Morelli says, “Morellina’s started because we met.”

Initially, the business started as a catering project. From there, it was turned into a café and then what it is today: an Italian-inspired restaurant in the heart of Toronto. While the business has moved through different iterations, what’s been constant is a desire to bring people together, founded on both Morelli’s and Hatem’s shared experiences of hosting and having people around.

“I grew up in Damascus, Syria. It’s very similar to Italian culture, where doors are open, you’re talking to your neighbours, an espresso turns into a pizza, and it becomes a big party with food and family,” says Hatem. “That’s the vision we always saw and wanted — bringing people together and having a good time, with food.”

It’s this ethos that drives what they do at Morellina’s, offering menus that change with the seasons and initiatives such as private dining. “Private dining means you really get to enjoy each other, and we’ll create a menu according to the tastes of the party,” Morelli says. “You can come, and your family won’t feel rushed to leave.”

“That’s the vision we always saw and wanted — bringing people together and having a good time, with food”

Alongside their shared vision of bringing people together, the duo is informed by each other’s differences. Morelli, coming from an environment where food was perceived as an art, takes care of the cooking. Hatem, whose piano-playing background inspires her creative process, takes care of the baking.

“In music, it’s very much art and science at the same time. Through baking, I was able to apply the same methods of following instructions, and knowing all the small elements play a big role in the final results. It’s the same with music: There’s so much that goes into performance to make it look or sound the way it is,” says Hatem.

At the time of writing, the menu at Morellina’s includes dishes such as burrata bruschetta, served with herb focaccia crostini and extra virgin olive oil. There’s pappardelle bolognese, created with handmade pasta and topped with rosemary. The cannelloni della campagna features pasta rolled with ricotta, and the pesce alla puttanesca’s sauce is made with cherry tomatoes, asparagus, black olives and capers.

The food is described as Italian-style, but the more you speak with Morelli and Hatem, the more you understand that tradition is just a springboard, and rules are meant to be broken. They talk of breaking traditions instilled by their parents or different regions, and how that can introduce positive, unexpected results. Morelli talks about one instance where, wanting to make a s’mores cookie, the marshmallow accidentally seeped out of the edges. “It made this brûlée, crispy sugar, and that became the best part,” she says. “We started making it crisp. The accident was perfect.”

Morelli also talks of the first time she fell in love with za’atar, a dried wild thyme mixture with sesame seeds popular in the Middle East, and how she combined it with focaccia bread and mozzarella to create something distinct. “It’s a modern world, and even today in Italy, it’s very open to different cuisines,” Morelli continues. “We’re using the open-world concept to try different things.”

It sits in line with the fact that dishes at Morellina’s are designed to complement one another. Morelli tells us that guests will often order a whole menu as a tasting experience, prompting her to call it “a seasonal ensemble.”

Given the events of the past two years, the restaurant has had to adapt and overcome its challenges. For example, the pandemic saw them switch to offering curbside pickup to weather the storm of uncertainty. Through that time, the pair are quick to mention the support they had from the local community, and how every time the restaurant unveiled a new experiment, people came out to try it.

“We became friends with a lot of clients,” notes Hatem. “They saw us when we were a small café and the developments we took to stay alive. They really supported us at every stage. The community and neighbourhood are the No. 1 factors to our success and survival.”

It’s clear that passion reaches every touch point of Morellina’s, from the food to the feeling of sitting in for a meal. When asked how they would define hospitality, that ethos continues to ring true. “Creating memories,” says Morelli. “We’re the platform. What happens from there is for them to remember and hold onto.”

INTERVIEW BY ESTELLE ZENTIL

The post Morellina: The Italian Restaurant Using Food To Create Seasonal Ensembles appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

Located on Burlington’s waterfront, halfway along the Toronto/Niagara corridor, The Pearle Hotel & Spa is a new space inspired by the region’s local lake houses, complete with 151 curated rooms.

Isabelle is part of its offering, a restaurant and lounge bringing together local ingredients and share-style dishes headed up by culinary director Chef Ben Heaton. “When I first walked into the building, I was floored. I felt like I was in the Mediterranean with the views,” Heaton says. “The water is crystal clear. The views go on forever, and the sunrises and sunsets are phenomenal.”

Having spent a lot of time working in the Middle East and travelling around the Mediterranean, Heaton wanted to fuse that initial impression with his experience with the regions to create a menu that was as approachable as it was flavourful.

That menu (offering breakfast, lunch and dinner) includes such items as smoked eggplant dips, made with pomegranate, walnut and green olive; fall greens with maple vinegar; sheep’s gouda and grains; and Ōra King salmon with turnips, mustard greens and mushroom xo sauce.

“The interior design lends itself to the cuisine,” Heaton shares. “I couldn’t imagine having a steakhouse here. It just goes hand in hand. With dining, the ambience and design of a restaurant is important. You’ll come back to a place you feel is warm and welcoming.”

Heaton describes the food as “the best ingredients treated as simply as possible, which is very hard to do.” To give context to the work that goes into every dish, the kitchen doesn’t just prep and cook its food but makes its own yogurts, cultures its own cheeses and makes all the bread in-house.

“Looking at the market in Burlington and Hamilton, there’s nothing really like it, especially at this level. The food is fresh, colourful and vibrant. We have our own farm that grows a lot of our vegetables. The summer prior to opening, we did a lot of pickling, fermenting and preserving anything we could get our hands on.”

Their farm, aptly called “Earth to Table” and headed up by farmer Laura Headley, is a key component of both Heaton’s work process and Isabelle’s success. Located in Millgrove, Ont., Heaton shares how it’s currently growing a number of vegetables, alongside traditional varieties of leaves and greens the restaurant requires. It’s also totally organic, using no pesticides or other artificial processes.

But, for everything it does for the restaurant, there’s a long-term vision at play. “We’ll be building it out so it’s more of a commissary-style building. So, that’s where we’ll make the breads, charcuterie, cheeses, pastries, grow our vegetables and dry-age our beef.”

It’s this environment, and the chef ’s approach to food, that gives Isabelle its stories. In the same way the restaurant brings Heaton’s experience travelling sun-soaked climates to the plate, the farm is steeped in narrative.

Heaton explains how the smoky vinaigrette that’s poured over the top of the short rib is made from the scraps after dry-aging beef at the farm. He also explains how he works with 1847 Stone Milling, located in Fergus, Ont., to produce the restaurant’s pitas. The mill grows a grain called einkorn, which is widely regarded as being one of the first used in bread-making.

“First and foremost, food has to be delicious,” Heaton continues. “I’ve been to high-end restaurants where it looks phenomenal but tastes like nothing. It’s always flavour first. Then we think about the presentation.”

With early memories of cooking dinner for his parents after school, visiting restaurants in England’s Yorkshire Dales with his grandfather and having a brother who’s also a chef, food has always been a part of Heaton’s life. He cut his teeth with chefs Gary Rhodes and Jason Atherton, who both own Michelin-starred restaurants in the U.K., before returning to Toronto to work with Mark McEwan and open his own restaurant, The Grove.

Even now, he holds that connection with the U.K. His favourite restaurant is The Seahorse. Located in Devon, a county in southwest England, he’s sure to mention the grilled fish over charcoal.

Today, he brings all of this past and present experience to Isabelle seven days a week. “When I started travelling, it opened my mind to different cultures. Not just their food, spices and the way people eat but how they gather. Every single day, it was important to get together as a family and enjoy meals. Ever since, it’s influenced the way I’ve cooked my food and how I want people to eat it. I want everyone to feel they’re home when they’re here.”

INTERVIEW BY ESTELLE ZENTIL

The post Chef Ben Heaton: Creating Tastes From Coastal Climates appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.

Giovane Caffè originated in Vancouver and is excited to open its doors to Torontonians and share its unique concept and space full of Italian specialities. In 2004, the name of the café was inspired by a letter placed in Domus magazine. A designer named Enzo Mari placed the ad with a beautifully written letter seeking collaboration with a young entrepreneur, named Giovane Imprenditore. That is how the name Giovane Caffè originated. The café is a part of the growing family of an award-winning Canadian restaurant group, called Kitchen Table. The group emphasizes integrity, simplicity and giving back to the communities in each city that each restaurant or café operates. Giovane Caffè is the first from Kitchen Table to expand outside of Vancouver. There are also plans for a location to open in Seattle in 2022. 

The café is the perfect addition to the hustle and bustle of Toronto, as it is designed for quick in-and-out service. If anyone is planning on visiting Giovane Caffè for drinks or to eat, it is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

The post Modern Italian Coffee Bar, Giovane Caffé opens up in Toronto! appeared first on City Life Toronto Lifestyle Magazine.