GE Café Chefs Series
Second Tuesday of the Month
October 11, 2011–July 3, 2012
6–9pm
Fido Classroom, Centre for Green Cities
Get intimate with Toronto’s hottest chefs. In these demonstration-style cooking classes, you’ll learn about cooking local food, learn tips and techniques while enjoying a delicious dinner and wine from Stratus Vineyards.
Workshops include interactive cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, discussions exploring important issues for the modern food movement, and the enjoyment of a meal with fellow participants and facilitators.
Funds raised through the series will help support children’s educational food programs at Evergreen Brick Works.
Workshop Fees
$75 each workshop
$650 for the whole series (10 workshops, save $100)
$325 for half of the series (5 workshops of your choice, save $50)
Schedule
| October 11 | Seasonal Cooking: The Harvest with Jeff Crump |
| November 8 | Cooking for Celebrations with Christine Cushing **SOLD OUT** |
| December 13 | Underwater Cuisine with Bertrand Alépée |
| January 10 | Locally Global with José Hadad **SOLD OUT** |
| February 14 | Foods of Love with Jason Inniss **SOLD OUT** |
| March 13 | Go Foraging with Matty Matheson **SOLD OUT** |
| April 10 | Food Miles with Joshna Maharaj |
| May 8 | Seasonal Cooking: Spring is Back! with Denis Cotter |
| June 12 | Summer Solstice with Chris McDonald **SOLD OUT** |
| July 3 |
Celebrating Canadian Cuisine with Jamie Kennedy **SOLD OUT** |
Workshop Descriptions
October 11: Seasonal Cooking: The Harvest
It’s a month of plenty with an overabundance of fruit and vegetables, all of which have soaked up the sun of summer. With Thanksgiving harvest celebrations behind us, it’s time to start thinking about preserving the left overs for winter.
Jeff Crump is the founder of Slow Food in Ontario and is the co-author of Earth to Table. His passion for seasonal food has led him to work internationally at such restaurants as The Fat Duck and Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California.
November 8: Cooking for Celebrations
Fresh ingredients are harder to come by in the winter months but we have lots to celebrate: Good food, good wine and of course, good family and friends. Whether you’re hosting a religious gathering, family reunion or a simple affair, good moments are always around a table.
Christine Cushing is a well-known Canadian chef and TV personality. After completing training in both Canada and France, she worked in such renowned kitchens as Toronto’s Four Seasons and Scaramouche. Christine’s food philosophy begins with great ingredients.
December 13: Underwater Cuisine
There are many factors to consider when choosing which fish to cook at home: Freshness, availability, how it was caught, species sustainability and how to cook it. Come see how the experts do it. From selection and sourcing the best fish to cooking techniques.
Born in Paris, Bertrand Alépée was immersed in the wonders of French Gastronomy. Arriving in Ontario at age 20, he quickly earned a reputation as a bright young star, opening restaurant Amuse-Bouche with Jason Inniss. He is now the owner of The Tempered Chef, a consulting company for food and education.
January 10: Locally Global – Mexico
Creating dishes form other cultures can seem time-consuming and challenging, but with a bit of guidance, you’ll learn how to prepare world dishes using the best local ingredients of the season. Get all the best tips to celebrate world food cooking at home.
A native of Mexico City, José Hadad is passionate about sharing fresh and authentic Mexican cuisine with Canadians. Receiving acclaim from Toronto food critics, he is the co-owner of Frida Restaurant & Bar, and also owns Mad Mexican, a line of gourmet Mexican food products.
February 14: Foods of Love
Enhance your sensual side with a crash-course on cooking for Valentine’s Day.
Jason Inniss moved from Barbados to Canada at 16, where his passion for using local and sustainable products has led to numerous awards and accolades at Amuse-Bouche Restaurant. He is a founding member of Cross Town Kitchens and a member of Slow Food Canada.
March 13: Go Foraging
Foraging for food is the opposite of a trip to the supermarket. Your friends and neighbors might be wondering what you are doing, but you can find ingredients in your back yard. You just need to know how to identify them, when to find them and how to cook with them.
Matty Matheson rose quickly through the culinary ranks, working at Le Select Bistro and La Palette in Kensington Market. At the age of 28, he now serves as executive chef at both Oddfellows and Parts and Labour.
April 10: Food Miles
Yes, we can have strawberries in January but do they taste like strawberries? This week, we’ll explore the impact our culture of convenience has on the way we cook, eat and live.
Joshna Maharaj has a simple yet thoughtful approach to food and cooking, working with the Scarborough General Hospital to put wholesome, local food on patients’ plates. She also works with members of Toronto’s food community to develop a sustainable food system and culture.
May 8: Seasonal Cooking: Spring is Back!
The world is coming back to life and all the new plants are young and green. These tender new veggies need quick and simple recipes to preserve their delicate flavours. Sprouts and shoots are at their peak along with rhubarb, seakale, asparagus and morel mushrooms.
Denis Cotter is an internationally renowned vegetarian chef and author, and has operated his acclaimed restaurant, Café Paradiso, in Cork, Ireland for 18 years. Now living in Stratford, ON, he has become a Canadian Permanent Resident, and published his fourth cookbook, For the Love of Food.
June 12: Summer Solstice – Small Plates
The sun shines and farmers’ markets are in full swing, showcasing the flavours of Ontario. Entertaining and cooking outside are a must. Get some tips and tricks for delicious, fast meals for those warm nights on the patio.
Known for his creative, first-principles approach to cooking, Chris McDonald has travelled the world in and educational odyssey of learning both the spoken and culinary languages of the world's great cuisines. He now brings this knowledge to his latest endeavors, CAVA and Xococava.
July 3: Celebrating Canadian Cuisine
Ontario is blessed with a bounty of growing regions. Each has special characteristics in geography, geology and climate that imbues them with a unique sense of place or “terroir.” This week you’ll get a taste of Niagara and the escarpment.
Jamie Kennedy has been instrumental in shaping the culinary landscape in Canada with his innovative approach to gastronomy, commitment to sustainable agriculture and advocacy of local food. Jamie Kennedy on the Falls, his newest venture, is set to open this year, in Niagara Falls.
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