AT THE FIVE
RACHEAL WHITMAN, CHEF
Creamed Spinach Pizza
“This creamy pizza base is incredibly versatile, and can also be used as a dip for pita chips or a sauce for pasta.”
2 Tbsp Extra virgin oil
1/4 cup shallot or onion, finely diced
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1/3 cup white cooking wine
1 cup 35 percent cream
1 cup cooked spinach
salt and pepper (to taste)
lemon juice (to taste)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

PREPARATION: Heat oil in medium-sized frying pan. Add shallots (or onion) and garlic; saute on low heat onion until soft. Deglaze pan with white wine. Add cream and reduce in pan by half, remove from heat and add cooked spinach. Puree mixture in a food processor. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Spread mixture on pizza and bake.
AW SHUCKS!
JONATHAN CURTIS,CHEF
Crab Cakes
“Serve with your favourite dip.”
1 pkg (500 grams) of crabmeat (pressed dry)
1 cup of bread crumbs
1 red pepper, diced finely
4 green onions, diced finely
3 cloves of garlic, diced finely
1/2 large red onion, diced finely
3/4 tsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for deep-fryer (if using)
PREPARATION: Combine all ingredients. Form into little patties (about the size of miniature hamburgers). Deep fry (in a deep fryer) for about two minutes, or baked in 400F oven on baking sheet lined with parchment paper for about 10 minutes (or until golden brown).
DINE-ESTY
CARLO DI SALVO, CHEF
Warm Chocolate Souffle
180 g bittersweet chocolate      
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter                
6 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 egg whites
PREPARATION: Melt the chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water. 
In a separate bowl, combine yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar and whip (using a mixer) until the yolks are pale and have formed to the ribbon stage (when lifting your whisk, the mixture should fall and hold the appearance of a ribbon).
When the yolks are fully whipped, add the flour and mix on low. Slowly pour  melted chocolate into yolk mixture, and mix.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks have formed (the egg whites hold onto your whisk when lifting) slowly add the remaining sugar. Gently fold egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Pour into butter and sugared ramekins.  Bake at 425F for approximately 12 minutes, or until the exterior is set and the interior is still a bit loose and creamy (the souffle is done when fragrant and fully risen).
Un-mold onto a plate and serve warm with whip cream and berries. Serves about 6.
CHAOPAYA THAI RESTAURANT
KANJANA (MAY) NAVAWONGSATHIAN
“In Thai cuisine, there are no rigid rules with respect to ingredient measurements. For example, if making a pad thai sauce, tamarind (a type of tropical fruit) can be very sweet or very sour (depending upon the crop). The secret is tasting it, and adding other ingredients until you achieve the desired flavour (for example, too sweet add lemon juice, too sour add sugar, etc.).”
THE DOWNTOWNER BAR AND GRILL
ALEX MERCADO, KITCHEN MANAGER Creamy Lemon Chive Halibut Salad
3/4 cup plain yogurt (low fat if preferred)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsps lemon juice
2 Tbsps water
2 Tbsps chopped chives
Salt and pepper to taste
6 Halibut steaks
PREPARATION: In a blender add yogurt, mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, water and salt and pepper to taste;  add freshly chopped chives.  Keep dressing in an airtight container (up to) 3 days before serving.
Season halibut with salt and pepper, and saute in olive oil (in a pre-heated frying pan) over medium heat until cooked.  
Place warm halibut over mixed greens garnished with sweet bell peppers, red onions, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with dressing and serve. Serves 6.

FITZY’S CRAB SHACK & WINE BAR
MIKE HENRY, CHEF
Mango Kiwi Salsa
“A Great topping for grilled fish or pork.”
2 mangoes; peeled, pitted and diced
4 kiwis peeled and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and finely chopped
1 lemon  (all zest and juice)
Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Dash of tabasco
PREPARATION: Mix all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for approximately one hour.
FISHBOWL RESTAURANT
LOGAN PARKER, CHEF
Lemon Pepper Salmon
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1  salmon fillet, 6 oz
2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 cup fresh bruschetta or fresh diced mango
PREPARATION: Pre-heat pan over medium heat with oil. Place fillet on pan and sprinkle it with 1 tsp of seasoning, cook for approximately 3 minutes.
Turn over fillet and sprinkle the remaining seasoning, cook for approximately 3 minutes, or until cooked throughout.
Serve salmon on its own or on a bed of rice and top with warmed bruschetta or mangos. Serves 1.
KENZINGTON
MATTHEW G. LOUVEL, CHEF
Mango Sambuca Mussels
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup white Sambuca
1 pound (454 g) mussels
3 Tbsps 35 per cent cream
1/4 cup frozen mango, diced
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime wedge
PREPARATION: Saute onion and garlic until tender. Deglaze pan with Sambuca and add mussels. Add  mango and cream and reduce until sauce thickens and mussels open. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedge. Serves 2.
MOM’S RESTAURANT
ED VANDERVELDEN, CHEF
“Here’s my secret for melt-in-your-mouth prime rib and Yorkshire pudding. Put roast in the oven with all your favourite veggies at 350F for the first 40 minutes, then reduce your oven to 300F and slow roast until cooked to your taste.
When putting Yorkshire pudding batter into muffin pans, preheat the pan (with oil) and put the batter in the pan while still smoking hot. "Your Yorkshire will not fall flat.”
NINO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT
LUIGI BARBARO, CHEF/OWNER
Salsa  Al Olio Crudo
“An easy and delicious pasta sauce.”
4 cups plum tomatoes (canned or fresh), roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp dried rosemary
2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
PREPARATION: In pre-heated frying pan, heat tomatoes over high heat. Once boiling, add salt and sugar and rosemary (rub herb to release the flavour) and continue to simmer until desired thickness is attained (15 to 25 minutes). Top pasta with sauce and drizzle olive oil over sauce. Serves 4.
THE NORTH
MARCO ORMONDE, CHEF/OWNER
World Famous Onion Dip
“Serve with bread, chips or vegetables.”
2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Lemon juice (to taste)
Kosher salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
PREPARATION: Heat oil in skillet set over medium heat. Add onions and saute until softened and caramelized (about 15 to 20 minutes). Remove from heat, cool and finely chop. Mix in all other ingredients and let stand in the fridge (overnight is best).
OSCAR’S RESTAURANT  
RANDY FELTIS, CHEF/OWNER
Chocolate Chip Cookies
“A favourite on the lunch menu.”
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup softened butter
2 large eggs
2 Tbsps water
4 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
300 grams chocolate chips, or broken chocolate (be creative with the kinds of chocolate, even add some broken Skor bar for variety)
PREPARATION: In mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and mix in hot water.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Slowly combine wet and dry ingredients until mixture forms a dough.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Flatten portions of golfball size cookie dough on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  
Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 10 minutes or until edges turn a light golden brown.
Toffee for the top: Caramelize 200 grams of white sugar in a copper pot, bring it to 175 degrees. Add 200 grams of clarified butter. Mix together slowly until product has cooled.  Pour on to wax paper.  When dry break apart.  Add toffee to top of uncooked cookie....Bake and enjoy!
PAINTER’S HALL
MATT SCHRAM, CHEF
Grilled Pineapple and Ginger
Dipped in Chocolate
“I enjoy eating this dessert on a cool summer night with my wife. She’s a chocoholic.”
1 pineapple (peeled, cored and cut into quarters)
225 grams milk chocolate
1/2 cup 35 per cent cream
1 Tbsp pickled ginger
1/2 cup honey
PREPARATION: Melt chocolate over a double boiler. Heat cream and add to chocolate;
toss in honey and pickled ginger. Heat pineapple on a grill until nice grill marks have appeared and pineapple is tender (about 1 1/2 minutes per side). Dip in warm chocolate and enjoy.
SETTLER’S GHOST GOLF CLUB
MARY-LOU GILL, CHEF
Horseradish Compound Butter
“This is an excellent accompaniment for topping grilled steak or salmon.”
454 grams (1 lb.) butter
1/2 cup horseradish
1 tsp Worcheshire
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1/4 cup pink peppercorns
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
PREPARATION: Soften butter and using a hand blender mix together all remaining ingredients. This butter can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, or it can be frozen.
SHUTTER’S RESTAURANT AND BAR
THE VILLAGE INN STEAKHOUSE,
DANIEL CLEMENTS, CHEF DU CUISINE, PORTERHOUSE RESTAURANTS
“Here are my top three tips for how to cook a great steak.”
#1 Quality Meat. Look for a cut that has good marbling (fat streaks) through the meat. I use “Certified Angus Beef” for superior flavor and tenderness. Remember fat equals flavour. My personal favorite is a nice thick Porterhouse steak.

#2 Hot Grill. Pre-heat your grill, this will ensure you get a good sear on the steak to help lock in the flavor. And by pre-heating, I mean Hot!! Between 400-500F.

#3 Seasoning. Brush your steak with a little soft butter before you shake on your favorite steak spice. This adds flavor and gives the spice something to stick to. Here’s a simple Tex Mex style dry rub: combine 1 tsp of each: chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder and garlic powder. Rub into your favorite cut and grill.
STIX SPORTS BAR AND GRILL
DAVID KEENAN, CHEF
Chipotle Barbequed Side Ribs
 4 whole St. Louis cut pork side ribs
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup barbeque sauce
Salt and pepper
PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 275F degrees. Crosshatch underside of ribs. Season well on both sides with salt and pepper. Place onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in bottom of roasting pan. Place ribs side by side on top of vegetables. Fill roasting pan with water just covering ribs. Add 1/3 cup barbeque sauce to ribs.

Cover pan, and place on bottom rack in oven for 2 - 2 1/2 hours. Remove ribs when done and let rest.
Chipotle Barbeque Sauce
1L Bullseye Barbeque sauce
3-4 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce
PREPARATION: In a food processor puree chipotles until a paste.  Add barbeque sauce and pulse until all combined. Place in a bowl.
Preheat grill to 350F. Place ribs meaty side down on the grill, brush lots of sauce.
Cook for about 4 minutes until ribs start to become crispy. Turn over and brush more sauce over the ribs, cook for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with your favourite side dishes. Serves 4-6.

RITA’S PLACE | ENZO LOSI, CHEF
Here’s a recipe for a good, simple and authentic Italian meal. Boil up some De Cecco pasta (never cook it for over 7 minutes), strain, and drizzle it with some high quality extra virgin olive oil. Finish it with a sprinkle of fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.”
TARA INDIAN CUISINE | YAR AND NUR MOHAMMAD, CHEFS/OWNERS
“Use the freshest, highest quality ingredients available. For example, authentic Indian spices can be purchased in Toronto at the India Bizarre on Gerard St.”
IL BUCO RISTORANTE
KARL SAWYER, CHEF/OWNER
“For great Italian dinner music, try L’Imperfetto by Renato Zero.”

TOWN AND COUNTRY STEAKHOUSE
JIM KOUSSIOURIS, CHEF
“To good cook the perfect steak make your cooking surface as hot as possible. High heat will sear the steak so it doesn’t lose any of its juices.  Preheat the barbeque for at least 20 minutes, and when purchasing a home barbeque be sure to get the maximum BTU per burner.”
GIO’S ITALIAN RISTORANTE
GLEN FAHSELT,CHEF
“Dip your garlic in boiling water for 10 seconds to facilitate peeling.”
CASA MIA RESTAURANT
STAN DIMAKOS
“If you are going to use olives in a salad, Kalamata olives are the way to go.  They are the tastiest and firmest olives on the market.”
PIZZERIA ITALIA
FRANK GENOVESE, CHEF
“The secret to good pizza is the dough. Be sure to follow the 10 minute rule of dough making -- from start to finish it shouldn’t take any longer. At the end of 10 minutes, the dough should be soft, not stick to your hands, and the bowl should be clean.”
MANHATTAN’S
ROBERT STEELE, EXECUTIVE CHEF
“To ripen an avocado quickly, place it in a paper bag with a slice of apple and leave it in a warm place.”
THE CRAZY FOX BISTRO
COOS UYLENBROEK, CHEF/OWNER
“The best way to check the freshness of eggs is to gently place the egg (in its shell) in a bowl of water. If the egg lies flat on the bottom it’s quite fresh (indicating a small air cell). If the egg stands up or bobs on the bottom, it has a larger cell and is not as fresh. If the egg floats to the top, watch out! It’s probably rotten.”

MICHAEL & MARION’S & THE SIDE DOOR CAFE  | DENNIS THORNTON, CHEF
“Think outside of the box when garnishing. Instead of herbs, citrus fruit or a reduction -- use a complimentary food as a garnish. For example, when serving tandoori salmon, garnish it with a small stuffed chili, or a parceled bok choy leaf. Edible flowers such as pansies, violets, or marigolds also make inventive garnishes.
Food presentation can also be enhanced by opting for unique plate shapes in either white, black or bold colours.”
MONSOON LOUNGE & SUSHI  MEAGHAN KEMPER, CHEF/CO-OWNER
“Here are some chocolate storing tips. At room temperature, white chocolate begins to lose quality after about five months. Dark chocolate, on the other hand, seems to improve in flavour for up to 18 to 20 months. Milk chocolate will deteriorate faster because it contains dairy butter, use in 5 months.
URBAN DISH GRILL AND WINE BAR MARC THOMPSON, CHEF/OWNER
“After cooking meat, poultry or fish -- let it rest for a few minutes. The rest period will help the meat retain its natural juices. During cooking, muscle cells in the meat contract, forcing out liquid from the spaces between them.  As the meat cools those cells relax, reabsorbing the liquid. Allowing meats to rest also evens out the temperature and the doneness.”
CRAVINGS FINE FOOD MARKET & CATERING ANGELA PIDUTTI, CHEF/OWNER
“Add the rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to add a rich flavour to soups or tomato sauces. Take out the rind prior to serving.”