At The Pass with Georgia Zimbel

At The Pass is a monthly series showcasing Toronto’s best chefs. You won’t find any celebrity chefs featured here. Perhaps you already know these fine cooks, but maybe not. They’re not famous - yet. But it’s time these talented, passionate, hard-working chefs got a bit of the spotlight. 

Currently

Cooking at Marben.

Formerly

Grand Cru Deli, The Emerson, Merchant Tavern.

Favourite dish to make right now

Been working on my French omelette lately.

Last cookbook purchase

I was recently gifted Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking from my late grandmother's collection.

Have you read it/tried any recipes

I played around with the Smoked Tomato Water and Cod dish.  That was fun.

Name one dish or ingredient you’d like to see gone from menus

Beyond Meat.

And one dish or ingredient that you’re excited about right now and would like to see on more menus

Anchovies.

Your biggest influences

I’m lucky enough to call my influences my friends: My Pops - the OG chef in my life, Chris Locke from Marben, Miriam Echeverria from Greta Solomon’s, Charlotte Langley from Scout Canning, and Jamie Kohls from Grand Cru Deli.

If you could eat at any restaurant in the world

Restaurant Relæ in Copenhagen or Bar Kismet out in Halifax!

Last thing you ate

A very messy veggie breakfast wrap.

Three must-have ingredients always in your fridge 

Eggs, Butter, Hot Sauce.

Guilty pleasure

The almond croissant from The Tempered Room. I’d eat every day if I could!  

Top 3 favourite Toronto restaurants

The Hole in the Wall, Bar Isabel, and Good Hombres.

Top 3 favourite Toronto bars

The Hole in the Wall, Chantecler, and Paris Paris.

Your go-to drink

Negroni in the winter, Aperol Spritz in the summer. Soda water and bitters, always.

One habit you have in the kitchen that you should lose, but can’t seem to shake

Spreading out all of my mise over as much space as I can take up! I like seeing it all out in front of me before putting it back together.

One habit you have in the kitchen that will inspire young chefs

Continuously wiping down my station. Work collectively as a team.

Name one hidden talent 

I can solo a canoe in the water, and portage one too!

The best career advice you ever received

Be Patient, Chin Up and Work Hard. -  A combination of a conversation with Chef Alex Feswick, and something I saw on Instagram.  

The worst career advice you ever received

if you want your male coworkers to respect you, either eff them or act like them.

Your advice for a young cook starting out in the business 

Be present in the moment. Learn as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Drop the ego, and don’t worry about climbing the ladder.

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At The Pass is a monthly series showcasing Toronto/GTA’s best chefs. You won’t find any celebrity chefs featured here. Perhaps you already know these fine cooks, but maybe not. They’re not famous - yet. But it’s time these talented, passionate, hard-working chefs got a bit of the spotlight.

Know someone in Toronto or GTA who should be featured? Submit their name for consideration.