Ah summer in Ontario! Hot days, cool nights, warm waters and long weekends—sounds like a typical wish list for every thawed out Canadian right? Well, exchange long weekends for “long growing seasons”, hot days for “hot peppers”, cool nights for “cooling cucumbers” and warm waters for still “warm from the field “melons and you've got my summer expectations! I absolutely love this time of year.   Going to the market for me is about the same as a kid wandering into a candy shop (although I get pretty crazed there too). Sometimes I just can't help myself. I just buy way too many fruits and vegetables.   It sounds like a healthy habit but I don’t have a lot of fridge space. Grown naturally and picked at the peak of ripened perfection, it’s only so long before thes beautiful, fresh fruits and vegetables start to look average. I know my Sous Chef can sometimes be caught rolling his eyes at the mountains of fresh produce he encounters upon his arrival to work. Trying to assure him that that it’s for the entire week is pointless. He knows me well enough to be certain that when Linda Stevanus calls me from my favourite farm "Stevanus Family Farm" and tells me her husband Dale just harvested heaping bushels of peas, beans, beets and chard I will of course tell her to bring it to the restaurant straight away! Oh well, he works for me and as much guff as he gives me he's more than happy to pull preserves off the shelf mid winter.

Speaking of Stevanus Family Farm we are very excited to be paired up with them for the upcoming Taste Fresh Taste Local event in September. We’re also paired with Golden Hearth bakery and we’re keen to start working on our ideas. With no shortage of produce to work with we will likely be looking at tomatoes (hope those August nights don’t get too cold!!), eggplant, carrots and whatever preserves might be stashed away from their bountiful farm this summer. Working as a trio (including Golden Hearth) means we will also have the best plate possible to serve or delectable treat on... beautiful , expertly prepared, “baked to order”, artisanal bread. I think one of the great benefits to developing close relationships with local producers is the ability to work together and get exactly what we want—whether it’s a uniquely shaped loaf of bread or a rare heritage variety of potato.   Nothing makes my job easier than the “hand in hand” working relationship we have with our suppliers.

Another great relationship that has developed over the years is the one I have with Foodlink—staffers Peter and Anna have been a joy to work with and they’ve really made local food easy for us to get on the plate. That relationship is about to enter a new chapter as we will be working together in launching the second season of "Iron Chef Uptown", a very successful event that brought together local chefs, their customers and the farmers in a head to head cooking battle hosted in our kitchen. Foodlink is helping us bring it to the next level bringing in more "celebrity farms" and helping generate even more exposure and excitement. We’re also hoping it can turn into a fundraiser to raise funds for a few worthy local causes. This will help us turn a fun night out into something that delves even deeper into the connection between food and community. Of course, my favourite result from this event was bringing these otherwise competing chefs together, putting them into an environment that makes everyone a winner. Chef’s are artists after all, and Iron Chef Uptown is a chance to showcase their amazing abilities to an adoring crowd. I find it inspiring to watch them truly enjoy themselves in the kitchen—even after most of them spent the full day cooking at work! Stay Tuned for details.

Well, I hope you are enjoying the summer as much as I am and hope to see you soon at our restaurant or (like me) out shopping at a local farm stand or market!