At The Pass with Yoni Kamil
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. Meet Yoni Kamil.
🕒 4.5 min read
Currently
Baker, Lev Bakery
Formerly
Blackbird Baking Co., Chase Hospitality Group, Rideau Bakery
Favourite dish to make right now
I’ve been testing a lot of rye bread recipes, so I make a lot of tuna melts - not fancy, just canned tuna, but more often than not, with a parmesan crust.
Last cookbook purchase
The Food Lab by Kenji Lopaz-Alt. I love the content he has been putting out on YouTube during quarantine and seeing that I’m a baker, not a trained chef. I really enjoy his cooking.
Have you read it/tried any recipes
Yes, I made Chili Verde the other day. Super tasty.
One dish or ingredient you’d like to see gone from menus
If I could make it bread related... I would definitely say, stop making charcoal bread. Or charcoal anything, for that matter.
And one dish or ingredient that you’re excited about right now and would like to see on more menus
Lots of local Ontario flour being milled in interesting ways right now. That’s exciting.
Biggest influences
My grandfather, who owned Rideau Bakery in Ottawa, and by all accounts was the hardest working and nicest guy.
And Simon Blackwell, owner of Blackbird - I worked under him for many years and he really set a good example of what being a great boss can look like.
Lev Bakery’s holy trinity: Babka, Challah, and Organic Sourdough.
If you could eat at any restaurant in the world
My wife and I were supposed to go to France last April, so getting my hands on a loaf from Poilâne Bakery in Paris is still top of my list.
Last thing you ate
Scrambled eggs with chili oil - CC’s Szechuan Sauce.
Three must-have ingredients always in your fridge
Eggs, cottage cheese, and half sour pickles.
Guilty pleasure
I love a Junior Chicken (maybe two) from McDonald’s.
Top 3 favourite Toronto restaurants
Roll San for dim sum, Mattachioni - best pies and salads, and Donna’s my local go to.
Top 3 favourite Toronto bars
Bar Raval, Burdock, and Birreria Volo - which happens to be where my wife and I had our first date and wedding.
Go-to drink
Gin and Soda.
Babka for days. Currently available in three varieties: Chocolate, Chocolate Tahini, and Cinnamon.
One habit you have in the kitchen that you should lose, but can’t seem to shake
I should probably start cutting my labels instead of tearing them. And drinking more water while I work.
And one habit you have in the kitchen that will inspire young chefs
You only get one shot at every bake - so each day is an opportunity to be better than the last. That’s what’s fun about baking. Technically that’s not a habit, but it felt inspiring.
Hidden talent
I speak Hebrew with a nice accent.
The best career advice you ever received
"If you ain't first, you're last," Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights.
Worst career advice you ever received
To “drink the company Kool-Aid.”
Your advice for a young baker starting out in the business
Find a good owner or management team and stick with them through the rough parts.
Please support local businesses whenever possible.
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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