Up and Comers - Best Chefs I've never heard about

[GordonCooks]

Is Patrick Lin working in Toronto at all? What's Jamie Kennedy & Didier Leroy up to these days ?

[SteveW]

heres some answers to a few questions from previous posts in this thread:

david chrystian spent a few months as executive chef of the crowne plaza toronto centre after accolade closed, and now he has left to head up the kitchen at the drake, a new boutique hotel opening on queen west in november? 2003. i kow this because i worked with him at accolade, and will be joining him at the drake {www.thedrakehotel.ca}.

ned bell, who was supposed to be an up and comer, bounced from toronto to niagra, to somewhere out west. anyone that has seen him on cook like a chef will be able to see that while he is on tv, he isn't even near the same calibre as susur, chris mcdonald, dedier leroy, etc.......

hope this helps,

M@

Ned Bell didn't last long at the Niagara restaurant, Pennisula Ridge(he was soon gone, after the Opening Soon television series finished filming). He's now in Calgary at the Murrieta's West Coast Grill. BTW, he's originally from the west coast of Canada(not from Toronto).

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Steve

[pho]

Isn't Patrick Lin at Hemispheres? Jamie Kennedy is focusing on opening his own winery/restaurant in the country somewhere. I'm not certain about Leroy, but I'll find out.

[GordonCooks]

Isn't Patrick Lin at Hemispheres?  Jamie Kennedy is focusing on opening his own winery/restaurant in the country somewhere.  I'm not certain about Leroy, but I'll find out.

Lin was long gone the last time I was at the Metropolitan (A year ago)

[pho]

A friend of mine tells me he is at The Balcony in The Royal Garden, in HK.

[vox]

with regards to what stalder said, being able to cook a steak well doesn't put toronto on the map. granted, i'd say in terms of indian, chinese, malaysian, thai, vietnamese, sri lankan, and most other non-western-based cuisines, toronto is world calibre if not better.

however, if we're talking quality chefs that are breaking new ground and influencing the way people in toronto eat, then i think toronto as an eating public has a LONG way to go.

a little off-topic...but in terms of oyster bars in the city, i really really enjoy oyster boy. i absolutely hated rodneys...the jocky atmosphere and the preponderance of bay street pigs was a complete turn-off for me...as was the fact that the service i received was definitely shabby because i look like the student/cook that i am. intensely irritating.

[teencook19]

Well since your speaking of oyster bars,Pure Spirits Oyster bar and grill in the distillery district is fantastic!Me and my date went thier last weekend for her birthday and loved it! We shared a dozen oysters(delicious) and I had a bowl of muscles in a chardonay cream sauce(also delicious) I had a glass of wine and she had 2 cokes and we both had desert. With tax and tip it was around 80 dollars(very resonable,in my opinion) the food was great and the restaurant is really nice. It has that really trendy,warm,comfy sorta feel. Me and my date both really enjoyed it and I would recomend it to anyone who loves great oysters and a great dinner out!

[kevin]

I really believe that Trevor at Lobby will be very good, I worked with him before and think that he will be a good one. That Kevin guy that worked at Nobu and spent some "time" at Senses, he is currently at Bangkok Garden and putting up some very good tasting menus. At least that what the customer feedback is saying. As for all this trained by crap, I worked there, I needed to pay rent and that is it. That I chose to do it in such a restaurant is unimportant if what I learned there, I fail to teach to my staff. The biggest problem with up and comers is that food writers in this city only seem to supprt the old guys, or the owner that gives them the best treatment.