Tonight two Dep alumni and Depanneur Cookbook contributors, Dali Chehimi and Fatima Khlifi, join forces to celebrate their shared Tunisian heritage. The dishes they are preparing reflect the kind of food one would typically find at countless small stalls in the local souk or market, flavours deeply woven into the life and memories of every Tunisian.
What could be more fitting for the Dep's first event in our new kitchen at CSI — our 'birthday' so to speak — than to host an event in celebration of Mother's Day? For this special class, Alissa Kondogiannis is crafting an exquisitely festive babka: rose water-infused raspberry jam combined with a decadent dark chocolate filling ribboned throughout tender, warm braided brioche, delicately sprinkles with dried rose petals.
To delve into a truly Canadian concept of terroir – the flavour of a place – we need to embrace and celebrate our indigenous culinary heritage. We have invited Chefs Taylor Parker and Matthew Knight-Barton — the pair behind The Dep's subversive Canada Day Supper Clubs — to lead ongoing monthly residency at The Depanneur. It is an honour and privilege to create a space where these chefs can combine their considerable culinary talents to explore the possibilities of an elevated, communal dining experience rooted in First Nations traditions.
The inimitable Mikiki, Canada’s sultriest #SlopQueen returns to The Depanneur for an immersive and interactive food experience unlike any other. Teetering tipsily between cooking class, drag cabaret, performance art, academic lecture, political protest, and social justice activism, Mikiki will lead participants through an exploration of the concepts of aesthetics, the politics of gender representation, food security and harm reduction as told through the lens of workshopping extravagantly plated junk food.
Tonight two Dep alumni and Depanneur Cookbook contributors, Dali Chehimi and Fatima Khlifi, join forces to celebrate their shared Tunisian heritage. The dishes they are preparing reflect the kind of food one would typically find at countless small stalls in the local souk or market, flavours deeply woven into the life and memories of every Tunisian.
The Depanneur is proud to launch the Indigenous Food Lab, a new monthly residency with Chefs Taylor Parker and Matthew Knight-Barton, the duo behind The Dep's acclaimed and subversive Canada Day Supper Clubs. It is an honour and privilege to create a space where these chefs can combine their talents to explore the possibilities of an elevated, communal dining experience rooted in First Nations traditions. It is a laboratory to explore and experiment end experience a truly Canadian concept of terroir – the flavour of a place — a place to rediscover and redefine what Indigenous food means today.
The opportunity to cook fresh from the farmers' market in an absolutely stunning natural setting for some of my favourite people in the world is about as close to a dream gig as one could ask for. I've offered to go up for the weekend and cook for my chums, and we've decided to make a few additional spots available at the table for anyone who would like to join us. The menu will be seasonal, flexitarian/vegetarian-friendly and inspired by the mid-summer cornucopia of the Peterborough Farmer's Market on Saturday morning. Join us for a lovely meal and beautiful sunset by the fire in the loveliest of settings. (And there is a beautiful and newly-restored barn & event space just in case we need to dine indoors). There are also lots of fun and affordable places in the area to stay if you want to make a weekend of it.
Mexican street food goes way beyond tacos, but we rarely see the other amazing delicacies featured on Canadian menus. In this fun, hands-on workshop Erika Araujo will introduce you to two popular Mexican favourites, sopes and tlacoyos, along with recipes for the delicious fillings and salsas that make these dishes shine. After dinner, Erika will take guests on a guided tour of Agua Santa Mezcal, a premium artisanal mezcal from Santiago Matatlan.
In this fun, hand-on class Heather Kilner will introduce you the art of making the perfect, tangy & crunchy dill pickle! You'll discover both the classic salt-brine fermentation method, as well as quick and easy vinegar-based refrigerator pickles. Participants will get to customize their own jars of pickles, and leave with recipes and the confidence to continue pickling at home. Perfect for beginners and pickle enthusiasts alike!
Kazakh cuisine has been shaped by the nomadic history of its people and the harsh conditions of the arid, rocky steppes. Kazakhs developed a culinary traditions using preserved products that could be stored for long periods, such as smoked, dried, and salted meats, particularly horse and lamb, as well as fermented milk products like kumis and various dried cheeses. Their cuisine also incorporated influences of neighbouring cultures, such as the Uyghurs, Dungans, and Uzbeks. Today, modern Kazakh cuisine is a vibrant mix of traditional nomadic dishes and contemporary recipes adapted to local tastes. Tonight Zhanar Khamitova shares a quintessential Kazakh family meal showcasing the ingredients, traditions and spices of a cuisine seldom seen in Toronto’s food scene.
