If there鈥檚 one unwritten rule for how to properly celebrate Canada Day, it鈥檚 that it鈥檚 best done in the company of family and friends surrounded by a smorgasbord of top-tier bites 鈥 ideally outdoors. We asked five 色色啦 chefs what they鈥檇 serve at a Canada Day f锚te and, from Cantonese-style pork to beef qheema, their answers go well beyond the poutine, Caesars and butter tarts you might expect. 鈥淲hen I think about Canada and what it is to be Canadian, so much of it is the reverence and respect for other cultures on all levels,鈥 says Missy Hui, executive chef at And/Ore. 鈥淎nd that inevitably translates to food.鈥 So what dishes do these chefs want within arm鈥檚 reach this Canada Day? Inspired by the country鈥檚 bounty and the seasons, they鈥檙e varied and bold. They hold whispers of childhood and encountered customs, of memorable restaurant meals and recipes learned at the elbows of elders. As approachable and interesting, awesome and diverse as Canada itself, they鈥檙e a splendidly fitting tribute for the day.
The chef: Suman Ali Sayed, founder of House of Khaleej and culinary partner at Bar Mordecai
The app:聽toum-spiked hummus and beef qheema
Suman Ali Sayed and her聽toum-spiked hummus and beef qheema.
Jessica Blaine Smith (left)To chef Suman Ali Sayed, Canadian food is more about what you put in it than what you make. 鈥淭he quality of the ingredients. That鈥檚 the superstrength and power of Canada,鈥 she explains. A chef who has worked in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, Ali blends her Bahraini roots with the rich diversity of ingredients at her disposal. 鈥淚 use local, sustainable ingredients, that is the showstopper. Then I bring in the cooking techniques and flavours.鈥 An ideal Canada Day starter, bannock khubz聽flatbread served alongside whorls of toum-spiked hummus and cumin-scented Ontario beef qheema is a reflection of Ali鈥檚 culture brought to life through a Canadian lens. 鈥淐anadian food culture is not a melting pot because when you say that it means you have forgotten where you come from. Here, you still have your heritage and root attached to something new.鈥 That chef suggests 鈥渢his would be a perfect dish to place on top of poutine,鈥 merely proves her point. 1272 Dundas St. W.,
Rocco Agostino, executive chef and partner at Pizzeria Libretto and Enoteca Sociale
The starter: panzanella salad
Rocco Agostino and his panzanella salad.
SuppliedWith a gloriously ruddy hue that tidily matches the day鈥檚 theme, sun-ripened tomatoes are the star of chef Rocco Agostino鈥檚 favourite July 1 dish. 鈥淚f I can get my hands on some really good tomatoes, I like to do a simple panzanella salad,鈥 he says. A jumble of juicy tomato chunks, jagged focaccia croutons, fragrant basil ribbons and tomato vinaigrette, 鈥渢o intensify the tomato flavour,鈥 the dish is a bright nod to the style of cooking Agostino grew up with. 鈥淚 was born here in Canada. My parents immigrated from the south of Italy, from Calabria,鈥 he says. 鈥淕rowing up it was all about pasta and pizza. They always had a garden in the back and took advantage of the space to grow vegetables and herbs.鈥 Devoted to dishes that are comforting, flavourful and 鈥渘ever too out there,鈥 Agostino revels in the mingling and merging of culinary traditions he sees in 色色啦 and beyond. 鈥淐anada is a vast land with so many different cultures. Some flavour profiles that come together are pretty incredible. It pushes the cooking aspect of it forward, instead of staying stagnant.鈥澛221 Ossington Ave.,
Missy Hui, executive chef at And/Ore
The sandwich: char siu with greens and mustard
Missy Hui and her聽char siu with greens and mustard.
SuppliedGrowing up in Hamilton, Ont., chef Missy Hui lived in a neighbourhood that was home to families from Italy, Scotland, Hong Kong and more. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I love about Canada. I think most people鈥檚 food experience does exist in some way outside their own culture,鈥 she says. 鈥淲e have the privilege of living in a multicultural society where we have access to almost any ingredient we could possibly want. Canada Day and its food, to me, is personal and exciting and whatever you want it to be.鈥 What does chef crave? A sticky, smoky char siu sandwich loaded with fermented mustard greens and Kozlick鈥檚 Triple Crunch Mustard, because 鈥渋t just checks a box that no other mustard checks.鈥 Beyond that, the thing she most looks forward to on Canada Day is 鈥渢he slow smoke and baste on the barbecue鈥 that precedes that memorable first bite. 鈥淚 love to cook outside,鈥 she says, adding that, as a Canadian, it鈥檚 in her genes to hurry outdoors any chance she gets. 鈥淟ook at what happens when patios open,鈥 she says with a laugh. 鈥淚t鈥檚 pandemonium.鈥澛1040 Queen St. W.,
Lonie Murdock, Head Chef and Partner at Miss Likklemore鈥檚
The main: jerk chicken
LI-CHEFS-CANADA-JUNE28 canadian chefs Uploaded by: Boileau, Eden
SuppliedNo matter what鈥檚 on the menu, if chef Lonie Murdock is in the kitchen you can expect it to be a vibrant, rich, fiery and fragrant showing. 鈥淢y mom鈥檚 side is all Jamaican, and my dad鈥檚 side is generations of Canadians. I was probably the only person on my street that was eating curry and doing those things as a kid,鈥 she says, laughing. Formed during her childhood in Cornwall, Ont., Murdock鈥檚 comprehensive view of Canadian food is that it can be anything. 鈥淓veryone I know is an immigrant, or has an immigrant story, or an immigrant parent or an immigrant grandparent,鈥 she says. The food we make and share, 鈥渁ll ties back to something else.鈥 On Canada Day, 鈥淚鈥檓 definitely grilling, 100 per cent,鈥 says Murdock. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 have a summertime meal without having some of that smokiness.鈥 Whether it鈥檚 her famed jerk chicken or simple burgers, Murdock takes every opportunity to zhuzh recipes up with her own spin. 鈥淎t this point, there鈥檚 something from either my culture or my husband鈥檚 culture 鈥 he鈥檚 Guyanese 鈥 mixed into whatever the dish is.鈥 433 King St. W.,
Steven Tran, executive pastry chef at Shangri-La 色色啦
The dessert: tiramisu
LI-CHEFS-CANADA-JUNE28 canadian chefs Uploaded by: Boileau, Eden
SuppliedCanada Day desserts should be 鈥渃old and portable,鈥 according to Steven Tran, executive pastry chef at Shangri-La 色色啦. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 baking at home, the easier the better,鈥 he adds. His go to? Crowd-favourite tiramisu that鈥檚 built from store-bought lady fingers soaked in bracing Vietnamese robusta coffee, cushiony layers of chilled mascarpone and generous lashings of grated chocolate. Inspired by Europe, made in 色色啦 with Canadian and Asian ingredients, it鈥檚 a dish that embodies Tran鈥檚 view of Canadian food. 鈥淚 grew up in a very multicultural neighbourhood,鈥 says Tran, who was born in Vancouver to Vietnamese parents. 鈥淚 saw and I grew up with a huge amount of different types of cuisine. My view of Canadian cuisine is very diverse.鈥 Though burgers, hot dogs and poutine are non-negotiable come Canada Day, Tran also likes to branch out. 鈥淚 love to cook. I cook a lot of Chinese and Vietnamese food but also love to experiment with other people鈥檚 cuisines.鈥澛188 University Ave.,
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation