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. Introducing Manek Singh.

🕒 5.5. min read 

Currently

Chef de Partie, Le Phénix

Formerly

Started in the industry working for the Taj Hotels group back in India for a year, Moved to Cape Town to work for a restaurant called The Yard as part of the opening team for a year, then moved back to India worked as a Lead Chef at Flavour Diaries for chef Anjali Pathak. Staged at a brilliant Italian restaurant called Ristorante Sotto l'Arco in Bologna, Italy under chef Alessandro Panichi, and finally landed in Le Phénix.

Favourite dish to make right now

Risotto. It’s rice, butter and cheese - what can go wrong?

Last cookbook purchase

Dominique Ansel: Secret Recipes from the World Famous New York Bakery by Dominique Ansel

Have you read it/tried any recipes

I’m halfway through it actually. It is detailed. I tried to follow his recipe for meringue and it was bang on after a few trials and errors.

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

Aubergines (aka eggplants). I can’t do them. It feels like I am biting into a sponge full of bitter water.

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

Mussels. I am not a seafood kind of person, but mussels are the one thing I love.

Biggest influences

My parents and close friends. They push me to be better every day and have supported me in following my passion for food and to be a chef.

If you could eat at any restaurant in the world

El Celler de Can Roca in Spain.

Last thing you ate

Moto Bun at Hanmoto - Hamamoto Japanese chicken curry, scotch bonnet slaw, pickled chillis, scallions, on a coco bun. 

Three must-have ingredients always in your fridge

Garlic, butter and tomatoes.

Guilty pleasure

Butter Chicken -  too cliché, I know, and an occasional Mr. Brown Coffee mid-service.

Top 3 favourite Toronto restaurants

Viaggio, Hanmoto, North of Brooklyn

Top 3 favourite Toronto bars

Bellwoods Brewery, Bandit Brewery, Collective Arts Brewery

Go-to drink  

Any wheat beer and iced Americano.

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

Need to be more on point when it comes to downsizing produce. That is the one thing I need to pay more attention to. 

And one habit you have in the kitchen that will inspire young chefs 

Keep your work station clean. It makes life easy both during prep and service. And having a stack of folded kitchen towels goes a long way.

Hidden talent

I am a photographer and I make killer coffee.

Best career advice you ever received

Follow your heart, keep cooking, and don’t be afraid to fail as that will lead to be the reason for your success. - from an old chef of mine, chef Tushar back in India when I started out in the industry.

Worst career advice you ever received 

Never received any bad career advice. I listen to everything people in the industry tell me and then find my own rhythm and place in it all.

Your advice for a young cook starting out in the business:

If love food and cooking, just do it. Don’t be afraid, just cook your heart out and the more you do, the more you will refine your style and craft and be able to define yourself. Don’t try to be someone else. Be you. And never stop learning. You learn something new every day. That is the best part of being a cook – every day is exciting and new.

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. And yes, you can nominate yourself.     

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