The August issue is very special to me, not only because of our cover story and the truly fantastic culinary love story of Chef Nuit and Jeff Regular about their journey together from Thailand to Toronto, as well as, a look at the history of Caribana (will always be Caribana to me) and more great articles and recipes and local love for Thai and Caribbean food, but also because these were two of my first and favourite cuisine discoveries. Growing up in Scarborough in the 70s wasn’t exactly the most exciting times for food. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my mom and dad’s cooking but the most international food discoveries for me were going to a hut to get pizza and Kentucky for fried chicken. There was also of course what was probably the most international food of my youth, Canadian Chinese cuisine with those beloved breaded chicken balls, jumbo breaded shrimp and that glowing sweet & sour sauce. It wasn’t until my late teens when my sister took me to a small Malaysian restaurant on Bayview Avenue and took me on my first real culinary journey. When I walked into the restaurant…the aroma, the decor and the music (which has always been important to me) truly transported me thousands of kilometers away. This was where I had my first big bowl of Pad Thai! Flavours I had never tasted before and in such a wonderful little restaurant, my life would never be the same. One of my next food discoveries was Roti and Pholourie from a little restaurant at McCowan & Eglinton called Roland’s which would be the place to get my Roti fix in the years that followed. Following that, many new food discoveries would follow and still continue today. Nothing brings me more joy than discovering a new dish or cuisine that has eluded me all these years. The one thing I love about Toronto today, is the cultural diversity of the city and the ability to explore exciting new global cuisines and cultures in our own backyard.
Until Next Time…
Ken.