At The Pass with Alana Ferguson

🕒 3 min read

At The Pass is a weekly 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

Chef, Off The Hook Fishbar.

Formerly 

Twenty years in culinary, including Sand & Pearl in Prince Edward County, Scandinavian restaurant Karelia Kitchen and The Auld Spot Pub in Toronto.

Favourite dish to make right now

Scallops.

Last cookbook purchase

Home Preserving.

Have you read it/tried any recipes 

Lady Rose Relish, discovered in a small farmers’ market. A great condiment for a summer barbecue in the backyard or picnic. It’s a different kind of relish - similar to Piccalilli - with cucumbers, cauliflower, celery, peppers, onions, and mustard. Everything you require on a burger or hot dog, and also a great accompaniment on a charcuterie board.   

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

Chicken Caesar anything.

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

Lobster.

Biggest influences

Friends and family.

If you could eat at any restaurant in the world

Noma in Copenhagen.

Last thing you ate

Green smoothie.

Three must-have ingredients always in your fridge 

Mustard, Citrus, Sprouts.

Guilty pleasure

Root beer. 

Top 3 favourite Toronto restaurants 

Foxley, Pow Wow Café, and Southern Accent.

Top 3 favourite Toronto bars

The Mutt, Bathurst Local, and Handlebar.

Go-to drink

Gin.

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

Bad food puns and jokes.

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

Keeping calm and always keep an open heart and mind to learn.

Hidden talent

Juggling lemons and limes.

Best career advice you ever received

Take your time but hurry up.

Worst career advice you ever received

n/a 

Your advice for a young cook starting out in the business

Eat and taste everything you can. Travel and experience as much food as you possibly can.

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In order to support chefs during this time, the monthly At The Pass series is now WEEKLY. Know someone in Toronto or GTA who should be featured? Submit their name for consideration.

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