Passion is the star ingredient the goes into every well-prepared dish, and the city of Toronto is having a passionate love affair with the culinary arts. More young chefs are graduating from culinary colleges like George Brown to pursue their lifelong dream of getting out of their mother’s apron and into the real world. The cuisine of the future depends on these chefs and their fresh new ideas and techniques.

To watch a culinary artist work is like watching a painter create a piece of art. With cuisine, however, the chef gets to eat their artwork after. 

I was fortunate enough to converse with one of Toronto’s most passionate chefs, Mr. Andrew Eade. At 22, Andrew Eade is the owner and chef of his own catering company, called Garden of Eade. With a full professional staff, Garden of Eade provides excellent event service, from private parties to huge corporate events using only Ontario’s finest organic products. Garden of Eade has also been successful in catering to The Toronto Raptors, Liv Tyler and Edward Norton during their stays in the city. The charismatic Eade, who taught me about soil and wine during our tête-à-tête, stands by the philosophy that emotion is essential to everything in life, from crème brules to kisses. In Greek mythology, a hero is described as a doer of greater good and one who dies with passion. Andrew Eade  embodies the true sense of a culinary hero.

Medium: Who are your culinary heroes?

Andrew: My first culinary hero was, and is, Jason Bangerter from Auberge du Pommier. Jason was my first chef and pushed me to work faster and smarter. Not only is he very talented, but he also was a great first mentor. Jason taught me kitchen skills that are transferable in life: time, management, organization and cleanliness.

M: At what age did you start to cook?

A: As early as I can remember, I would stand in the kitchen with my mother making apple cinnamon crumble. She would give me the apple tickets and the apple peels to snack on while the apple crumble was baking.

M: When did your passion for food turn into a career choice?

A: It was during my time at Auberge Du Pommier. Back then, I realized how little I knew about the food, wine and the culinary arts. I was vegetarian and hadn’t tasted meat in over 14 years. The chef would ask me, “Is that tuna tartar seasoned correctly?” and I would reply, “I don’t know. I’m vegetarian. I don’t need to eat fish or meat.” He then took the time to explain to me that if he was charging $39 for this dish, it had to tastes spectacular. It should have the right balance of acidity with lemon and ginger juice, fennel fronds to mellow the acid, seasoned with salt and pepper, and a pinch of chilies to add heat, thus creating an addictive flavor profile. I was a small guppy in a sea of professionally trained sharks/cooks. I was determined to learn everything I could about gastronomy.

M: Where did you work before Garden of Eade?

A: Before taking the time to start Garden of Eade, I was working as an apprentice at the King Edward Hotel. The hotel was a great eye-opener because it exemplified how organized you have to be in a large culinary operation. In one day, the hotel would have a minimum of four menus running at the same time.

M: What inspired you to create Garden of Eade? Why a catering company as opposed to a restaurant or organic food store or your own TV show? What do you think the difference would have been?

A: I created Garden of Eade out of my love for soup. I would go to the local farmers’ market early Saturday morning and purchase only the freshest ingredients to put into my soup of the day. I got such a great response from customers that they began hiring me to cook themed dinners at their homes. This turned from passion into a business. The next step was developing a clear and concise business plan. I chose catering instead of a restaurant or food store because it had the lowest initial start-up costs. I was paying rent and college and working two jobs; there wasn’t much money left to start a restaurant.

M: Where did you meet the people you work with?

A: I met a lot of the great friends that I work with when I was at George Brown. I see myself working with two very talented individuals in particular: Caileigh Pendrith and Miriam Streiman.

M: Does your age interfere or benefit you in the culinary industry?

A: At 22, I realize that I know very little and have a long way to go. Age, however, will never be a factor. My family has our matriarch, Aunt Kate, 100 years young. She demonstrates that all your need is family, passion and a shot of Schnapps at the end of the night. Spending long hours in small and hot kitchens, you become very close with the people you work with. The cooks, chefs, servers, dishwashers and managers have all become a part of me over the years.

M: Does the pressure of work take away from the fun of cooking?

A: Never, the day it feels like work is the day I find myself a new profession. The job is challenging each time because there is always a smarter, faster or better way of doing things.

M: Are certain clientele more challenging than others?

A: Sometimes Garden of Eade would get clients that have a lot of dietary requirements. One night we had to tailor to six completely different menus, which included gluten-free, lactose intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, raw foodist and a classic meat-and-potatoes menu. On the other hand, I have clients that say: “just cook for us, we eat anything.”

M: How did you get involved in catering for celebrities such as Liv Tyler, Edward Norton, and the Toronto Raptors?

A: I was doing a fundraiser and therewere over 15 event planners scouting for new talent. I guess I made an impression because four months later, I was asked to be the private chef for Liv Tyler and Edward Norton while they were in Toronto filming The Incredible Hulk.

M: Do you remember any of their favorite foods?

A: When I was cooking for Liv Tyler, her favorite was my mustard-maple glazed salmon with chive-whipped mashed potatoes.

M: Is it important to count calories and portions when cooking gourmet meals? I mean, there is no such thing as a fat-free crème brulee, right?

A: Proper portion control is more important than calorie counting. The goal is to feed your guests all that they want except that you leave them wanting one more bite. Fat-free crème brulee is similar to having a kiss without any emotion. You need certain ingredients to showcase the love in food.

M: How important is it to Garden of Eade to be involved with Ontario farms and wineries? What is the process of receiving their products?

A: No matter how good of a cook you may be, no matter how technically proficient, you can’t make wonderful dishes without great products. Garden of Eade food is only as good as our suppliers. I work on developing longterm relationships with each our suppliers.

M: What are the advantages and disadvantages of using only organic products?

A: Organic tastes better, and it’s better for the environment. At the moment it’s still more expensive than conventional products, but this will change. As the demand for organic grows, the price of organics will be driven down.

M: What does Ontario have to offer compared to other provinces in terms of farms and wineries?

A: Ontario is on the Canadian Shield, which is the world’s richest area of mineral ores. Minerals contribute to healthy soil. Ontario’s hearty soil leads to strong plants, which equals delicious wines and produce.

M: Do you have a favorite country or city in terms of farms and wineries?

A: After reading “The Soul of a Chef” by Michael Rhulman, I have wanted to travel to Napa Valley, California to taste the wine in their particular microclimate, and dine at Thomas Keller’s legendary French Laundry.

M: Would you like to work abroad in your life? What does Toronto have to offer the culinary world compared to other cities?

A: Waking up in the middle of the night dreaming that I was in Paris, Madrid, Bangkok or London is a common occurrence. I can’t wait to build a great cooking foundation, pack my bags and travel on my next culinary adventure. Think of Toronto as water for a soup. The water is neutral and plain, waiting for emotion, taste and flair. Each cultural group settled into Toronto adds their distinct flavor, look and bouquet to the soup.

M: What is a quick tip for our readers on how to pair certain foods with certain wines? Is the rule that white meat goes with white wine and red meat goes with red wine valid?

A: Eat local, drink local. Cooking Spanish tapas, drink a Spanish wine. Cooking Burgundy? Pair it with a Burgundy red Pinot Noir or a white Chardonnay. If you’re going to your local farmers’ market, make a pit stop to the LCBO afterwards and support a local vineyard. Ontario has some fantastic VQA wines. My favorite right now is the Cave Springs 2006 Pinot Noir Reserve. The rule of white meat goes with white wine and red with red is a fearful approach to pairing food and wine. All those rules are being broken because everybody’s palates are different. I say, drink what you like, eat what you want, and let the food fight about it after dinner.

M: What are your plans for the next five years? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

A: Five years? Start a children’s program educating kids to eat delicious and nutritious meals and snacks. Learn more about Spanish & Canadian regional cuisine. Travel to Northern Spain, Alsace, France, and Singapore. Create a forum to showcase farmers are the real life superheroes that they are. In 10 years, I’d like to own an Ontario-based farm that will supply the catering company with 75 per cent of its fruits, vegetables and herbs.

M: When you’re not working, do you still cook gourmet meals for yourself and for friends?

A: When I get free time, I like to  spend it researching, developing and testing new recipes, especially flavorful artisan bread. You can be creative and experimental without the pressure of having to feed a couple hundred people with your experimental disaster.

M: Do you go to McDonalds on your days off?

A: No, it has been ages since I’ve eaten McDonalds. I found that I wouldn’t feel good after eating fast food, so I decided to eliminate it from my diet altogether.

M: What did you have for breakfast this morning?

A: This morning, I had cereal with blueberries and maple syrup and an espresso.

For more info on Chef Andrew Eade and his creations, visit www.gardenofeade.com.