At The Pass with Joachim (Joe) Hayward
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 Joachim (Joe) Hayward.
🕒 4.5 min read
Currently
Chef/Co-owner, Crosley’s
Formerly
Toronto: Brothers Food and Wine. UK: The Dairy, The Redan Inn. Vancouver: Campagnolo Roma.
Favourite dish to make right now
Chunky, veg-heavy salads, with loads of sherry vinegar and aged cheese.
Last cookbook purchase
Quality Chop House: Modern Recipes and Stories from a London Classic by Daniel Morgenthau, Shaun Searley, and William Launder
Have you read it/tried any recipes
Read most of it. Their Whipped Cod’s Roe is the best there is.
One dish or ingredient you’d like to see gone from menus
People need to chill with the edible flowers, I just don’t see how they contribute to a dish beyond aesthetics. Nasturtiums get a hard pass though.
And one dish or ingredient that you’re excited about right now and would like to see on more menus
Forced Rhubarb out of Lennox Farm in Melanchton, ON. Only problem is that they’re having a tough time growing this year, so it’s hard to source right now.
Crosley's At Home dinners are available for pickup and delivery.
Biggest influences
My family, and my colleagues -old and new alike.
If you could eat at any restaurant in the world
I’m really bummed I never got to eat at Eleven Madison Park. I took a lot of restaurants like that for granted pre-Covid. But if I could go anywhere for dinner tonight… it would have to be Firedoor in Sydney, Australia.
Last thing you ate
I want to say lobster burger or something cheffy like that, but it was a bag of Hardbite Honey Dijon Chips, no lie.
Three must-have ingredients always in your fridge
Eggs, butter, XO Sauce (homemade or store-bought)
Guilty pleasure
Buffalo hot wings with a side of ranch and the obligatory celery and carrot sticks, chased down with an ice cold domestic lager.
Vitello Tonnato Sandwich. Breaded and Fried Veal Cutlet, Homemade Brioche, Iceberg Lettuce, Tonnato Sauce.
Top 3 favourite Toronto restaurants
Top 3 favourite Toronto bars
Pretty Ugly (RIP), Communist’s Daughter, Bar Volo
Go-to drink
Negroni, so cliché.
One habit you have in the kitchen that you should lose, but can’t seem to shake
I have a tendency to move too quickly and erratically during service… bad habit from my London days.
And one habit you have in the kitchen that will inspire young chefs
Ask questions. Even as a leader it’s important to show young cooks that you’re human, and don’t have all the answers. Everyday is a school day.
Hidden talent
I’m really good at a select handful of impressions.
Best career advice you ever received
“You are the only thing standing in your way.” Another cliché, but wise words from my past chef and mentor Robert Belcham.
Worst career advice you ever received
The customer is always right. What a crock of shit.
Your advice for a young cook starting out in the business
Learn to walk before you can run. Learn the basics. Be humble but know your worth and your rights in the workplace.
Pay no attention to Bro or Chef culture. Focus on the task at hand before the other 15 or 20.
Have a plan, something to work towards, even on a small scale - i.e. work on that bevel of the knife tip you can’t seem to nail when sharpening, or that hollandaise sauce that always seems to split five minutes after it’s made. If you’re willing, there is always room to grow.
Lastly, taste your fucking food before you send it please.
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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