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It’s already that time of year! The 2013 Luminato Festival starts this weekend and the Future Tastes of Toronto is one of the highlights taking place on June 15th and 16th in the Distillery District. As one of Luminato’s Education and Outreach projects, Future Tastes has connected with chefs, artists, communities and youths by coordinating workshops, chef-in-the-school visits, rehearsals and training sessions. All of this preparation ahead of the big ten-day festival.

So the Kids’ Table at Luminato’s opening weekend will be a communal eating space where these children will interact with festival-goers, acting as young chef ambassadors to assist the 25 chefs involved this year. Once again, each dish is still priced at only five dollars encouraging a sampling of a variety of tastes.

I got to watch this preparation in action as enthusiastic, aspiring future chefs in the form of Grade 7 and 8 students from the Gregory Peck Public School visited the President’s Choice cooking school for some interactive hands-on learning with chef Joshna Maharaj.  And Chef Tom Filipou, Executive Chef of President’s Choice, got the excited kids even more excited by getting them involved in cooking. At the end of the cooking, eating and mingling, they performed their songs for Chef Tom with a dancing line and everyone in the cooking school cheered.

So be sure to check out the Future Tastes of Toronto: At the Kids’ Table this weekend in the Distillery District and have fun exploring a wide variety of foods and meet some future foodies and chefs.

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS (6 classes from 5 schools)
Rose Avenue Junior Public School
Lord Dufferin Junior and Senior Public School
Dovercourt Junior Public School
Duke of Connaught Public School
George Peck Public School

PARTICIPATING CHEFS
1. Hemant Bhagwani, Amaya Restaurant*
2. Andrea Mut, Andrea’s Gerrard St. Bakery
3. Carol Belmonte, Belmonte Raw
4. John Sloan, Cafe Uno*
5. John Lee, Chippy’s Fish and Chips
6. Chrystal Porter and Michael Sacco, Chocosol
7. Doug McNish, Doug McNish Raw Food
8. Jose Haddad, Frida and Mad Mexican
9. Monte Wan, Khao San Road
10. Lesia Kohut, LPK’s Culinary Groove
11. Rod Bowers, Hey Meatball
12. Arturo Anhalt, Milagro Restaurant
13. Sam Gelman, Momofuku
14. Bashir Munye, My Little Dumpling
15. Tallis Voakes, Paintbox Bistro
16. Jose Arato, Pimenton
17. Fred & Nick Laliberte, Poutini’s House of Poutine
18. Tom Filippou, Executive Chef President’s Choice Cooking Schools
19. Tim Miles, Pure Spirit*
20. Armando, Tappo*
21. Cory Vitiello, The Harbord Room
22. Michelle Edgar, The Sweet Escape Patisserie
23. Seema Pabari, Tiffinday
24. Giacomo Pasquini, Vertical Restaurant
25. John Chetti, Queen Margherita Pizza

*Indicates chefs who did not participate in workshop process but will be at Future Tastes of Toronto

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Tom Filippou, Executive Chef President's Choice Cooking Schools

Tom Filippou, Executive Chef President’s Choice Cooking Schools

Also, as part of the Luminato Festival, be sure to check out the Viktor & Rolf Dolls Exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum FREE from June 9th to June 30th.

Other Luminato highlights include Serena Ryder and K-OS, Sarah Harmer, and the Yves St. Laurent opening night party. For more info visit www.luminatofestival.com

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Nick Lee

Editor and Photos at BestOfToronto.net