“Everything you put on that table matters. the details can dramatically elevate the dining experience, like a good quality napkin, artisanal bread or a bottle of S.Pellegrino“
-Chef Grant van Gameren
Meet Chef Grant van Gameren, the culinary pioneer and driving force behind Toronto’s Bar Isabel, named as Canada’s Best New Restaurant in 2014. We asked him to reveal his sources for inspiration and ingredients, and tell us what’s on his radar for the future.
Capture the essence of what’s happening in the Canadian culinary scene?
Orphans cooking with orphans. In Toronto, the people opening restaurants now are in their late 20’s, early 30’s who haven’t been slugging it out in a brigade-style kitchen for years like the founding fathers. There’s a generation of us rebellious teenagers just opening up restaurants, hiring our friends and taking risks. Hopefully, these young chefs grow into the leaders of Canada’s modern culinary movement.
How do culinary trends impact your menu?
I’m too busy to concern myself with trends. Evolution is made, not speculated. If there’s anything I’m into, it’s about finding something new. Maybe not something new to the world, but new to me. That’s my food trend.
