One in five Canadians and roughly half of Torontonians were born outside this country. So what better way to celebrate Canada 150 than by exploring the myriad cuisines available in Canada's largest and most diverse city?
A great way to do that is at the Taste of Toronto festival (June 15 to 18), where leading and up-and-coming chefs serve a selection of their most popular dishes to 4,000 to 5,000 eager food lovers at a time. "It's quite a good experience to get up close and personal with the chefs," says Judy Merry, the festival's events director.
The variety of choices each year is vast, with chefs specializing in everything from Spanish tapas to Indonesian satay. "Toronto is so diverse. You can try any type of food here," says Ms. Merry.
If you can't make it to Toronto for the festival, you can still sample the city's culinary diversity throughout the year at the event's participating restaurants. Here are just a few examples to whet your appetite.
Taste of Toronto allows you to take part in hands-on cooking classes from some of Toronto's best chefs, where you'll learn tips and techniques to make your own world class meal.
Kanpai Snack Bar
As a child, Trevor Lui helped serve chop suey and chicken balls in his family's Chinese-Canadian restaurant in Rexdale. Now, his Cabbagetown restaurant serves Taiwanese snacks, which bring together Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and Hakka influences. "We take our inspiration from the Taiwanese night markets," says Mr. Lui, adding that many Toronto diners are excited by the chance to try something new. "They're seeking a lot more adventure on their plate."
Bar Buca
Forget that egg McSomething – you can start your day with an espresso macchiato and eggs baked with ricotta and pesto at this Italian eatery. In the evening, dishes such as fermented smelts, salt-baked beets, or focaccia stuffed with roasted Tuscan pork take you far beyond lasagne and spaghetti.
Barque Smokehouse
A barbecue restaurant with some vegetarian options? That's the twist you'll get at this spot on Roncesvalles Avenue, which turns out American South staples such as baby back ribs and beef brisket, as well as non-carnivorous options such as a smoked "yam steak." Chef Jonathan Persofsky says the Taste of Toronto festival is a great way to connect with new customers: "Everyone who comes is really interested in the food." He'll have another chance to expand his audience later this year, while dishing up smoky specialties for the city's Canada 150 celebrations at Nathan Phillips Square and elsewhere.
Taste of Toronto unites food lovers and local chefs at the same table.
Bar Raval
A good destination for those with early-morning or late-night munchies, this College Street spot serves Spanish specialties such as salt cod tortillas, chorizo con queso and Serrano ham, almost around the clock.
Pray Tell
Also on College Street, this bar has a menu as eclectic as the city's culinary scene itself. Chef Sonia Mondino grew up in Markham, where she and her Italian-Canadian family often headed out for dim sum or Indian food after church on Sunday. Pop into her establishment and you can sample fare such as crispy pork dumplings with sauerkraut, or grilled Greek salad skewers.
Little Sister
Specializing in Indonesian street food, this Davisville spot dishes up snacks such as beef satay with lime leaf and lemongrass, as well as mains such as shrimp coconut curry. On the side, you could try grilled mustard greens accented with two of the Asian nation's favourite condiments: fiery sambal oelek and sweet ketjap manis.
Actinolite
If asked to define "Canadian cuisine," would you freeze in indecision, then mention poutine and butter tarts? Justin Cournoyer is out to change that. His Ossington Avenue restaurant, named for the small Eastern Ontario town where he grew up, is hyper-seasonal and hyper-local. "I needed to connect with who I am and where I come from," he says. Look for wild Ontario ingredients such as juniper and whitefish on his constantly changing menu, as well as meat and produce sourced from local farms. It's all prepared with techniques drawn from around the world. "We're a young country … so we should be utilizing the cultures that have come here," Cournoyer says. "We have such a unique opportunity to create our own food."
This content was produced by The Globe and Mail's advertising department. The Globe's editorial department was not involved in its creation.