From growing up in Vancouver to working around the globe in cities like London, Sydney and Bristol, chef Joachim "Jo" Hayward calls Toronto home. While his first restaurant Crosley's closed earlier in the pandemic, the chef's "bright, lighthearted, and nostalgic" approach to food has gotten him into the Top Chef Canada Kitchen for this year's milestone Season 10.
From a spot that serves up great coffee and Negronis (not necessarily at the same time) to a cozy eatery with refined fare, here's where the talented chef loves to eat and drink in Toronto.
Breakfast
White Lily Diner grows their own veggies for the diner at their little farm in Uxbridge, ON, harvests their own eggs from free-range chickens, bottles their own hot sauce and makes the best damn meatloaf and doughnuts in the country. At the helm are industry veterans revolutionizing breakfast quality while keeping it simple and nostalgic.
Donna's
Donna’s is co-owned by a couple of chefs with serious pedigrees, it’s the type of restaurant that just makes you feel good inside. Honest décor, super simple yet delicious food, an awesome beer and wine list, and an open concept kitchen emanating all of its glory into the dining room.
Dinner
I’m a sucker for 30-seater, chef-owned restaurants. Anna Chen and her team at Alma are delivering super tasty, clean, bright, diverse, and textural dishes that all seem to have at least one very technical element to it. Her desserts always slap just as hard as her savoury dishes, which is a rarity for a lot of Toronto chefs.
Service is on point without being overbearing, and the wine list never disappoints. A true gem.
Drinks
I don’t often go out for drinks since I started a family shortly after moving to the city, but I’ve probably had the best negroni I’ve ever had at Voodoo Child...which is saying a lot considering [the time I spend] in Italy. That, plus everyone and their mothers can make a decent one.
Voodoo Child also has wicked coffee during the day!
Top Chef Canada Season X airs on Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network Canada.
