Over 50 chefs participated at this year’s Toronto Taste at the beautiful Corus Quay on Sunday June 8, 2014.
It’s quite evident that Toronto Taste is one of Toronto’s top food and beverage events. It’s so well organized thanks to the many people involved including top local chefs, restaurateurs, their staff and also all the wonderful and friendly volunteers that contribute into making this event as top-notch as it is.
My favourite booths included:
Seafood Caesar including lobster by The Chase
Duck Liver Pate on brioche from Richmond Station
Globe Bistro’s Spruce Tip Ice Cream
Thai Banana Roti (and also chicken satay skewers) from Linda Modern Thai
Oyster slider from Drake 150
and so much more
Interesting dishes included steamed lamb brains by Pangea Restaurant. Now I can say I’ve tried it!
Toronto Taste is all for a good cause, too. Second Harvest was established locally in 1985 and it is now the largest food rescue program in Canada. They boast that each dollar that goes to Second Harvest goes towards two meals. So the $690,000 raised for Second Harvest’s upcoming year will provide 1,300,000 healthy meals to people in need in the Greater Toronto Area.
“After a successful 24th season with Toronto Taste, it further emphasizes how much Toronto loves this event and values the service that Second Harvest provides to individuals in need in our city,” says Debra Lawson, Executive Director of Second Harvest. “Toronto Taste truly provided guests with a special evening with incredible food and direct access to some of our city’s top chefs – a unique experience all for charity.”
Get set for next year’s special Toronto Taste 2015 as they celebrate their 25th anniversary.
For more information about Toronto Taste visit www.torontotaste.ca
Photos by Nick Lee

Chef Carl Heinrich, Richmond Station

The Chase seafood caesar

Many fine wines and Dom Perignon up for bid in the silent auction

Martinis from TAG Vodka

Dillon’s Small Batch – The White Rye

Chef Wing Li, Linda Modern Thai serving up some amazing banana crepes
- Many fine wines and Dom Perignon up for bid in the silent auction
- Dufflet Pastries
- Panino Bagnato with lampredotto, salsa verde, and pepperoncini – Buca, Rob Gentile
- Thailand’s Singha beer
- Stacey McKenzie
- House cured smoked trout kale and hairloom carrot slaw, vinegar, soy sauce
- The Chase seafood caesar
- Abbey Sharp
- Spanish-style grilled octopus served on cannellini bean puree topped with a salad of artichoke, tomato and olives – President’s Choice Black Label, Chef Tom Filippou
- Host Bob Blumer
- Oyster slider from Drake 150
- Nicki Laborie, Desia Halpin-Brill
- Scaramouche – Carolyn Reid
- Tasting better than it looked, I had 2 of these – loved the textures
- Dillon’s Small Batch – The White Rye
- Bob Blumer emceeing the Toronto Taste Chef Challenge. Chef Eric Wood of Beverley Hotel won.
- Ace Bakery
- L: Chris MacDonald (Chef at Cava)
- Sari Colt volunteering at Toronto Taste
- Renee Suen
- Chef Carl Heinrich, Richmond Station
- “Canadian Summer Sundae” Spruce Tip Ice Cream – NIagara Peach Puree – Ontario Pecan Praline by Executive Chef Dan Sanders, Globe
- Chef Wing Li, Linda Modern Thai serving up some amazing banana crepes
- Bob Blumer
- Papparazzi as Bob Blumer makes cheese swans with aluminum foil
- Pay Chen, Renee Suen
- Martinis from the TAG Vodka bar
Check out the recap video of Toronto Taste 2014