Tastemakers was a culinary event taking place at the Evergreen Brickworks. It was put on by the same people who did Taste of Toronto last year at Fort York. The event brought together vendors and purveyors of food and drink over the weekend of May 18-20th. The only other city to have this event was Chicago so it says something of Toronto’s culinary establishment.

it was held in the Brickwork’s Kiln building.

I GOT THERE EARLY.

That is my suggestion for next year. Already a lineup (but it was small compared to the avalanche that was to come. I skirted the inside vendors and went out into the garden area. First up was my old friend Ace Bakery.

I talked with the baker and told her how, 20 years ago I lived at Bathurst and King (where there was an derelict Inglis factory instead of Liberty Village). It was where Ace first opened and I use to go in a couple of time a week to buy my bread. The baker was so pleased she gave me a few discount coupons. They were serving apple and cream cheese or blueberry compote on a baguette.

I wandered into the main hall and met a wonderful cook from Eritrea who had vegan rolls with the Ethiopian bread. They are called Chick Peas Veg and are on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/chicpeasveg/

Right next to them was Hexagon Restaurant – opening in Oakville in the Fall.

In addition to food was a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The Old Fashion cocktail was popular. There were 3 vendors who presented it. The first one was Founders bourbon. I don’t think I ever had an Old Fashion – but – I was here to experience.

Piano Piano’s chef Victor Barry was manning the table at Sobey’s sponsored booth. 2 chefs paired on each side and presented/dished out their offering.

 

However, Piano Piano also had a pizza oven going on in the garden area. Kale and Bocconcini cheese pizza, fresh and hot out of the oven. One of the stellar moments. Later, when I came back. there was a long lineup. Pays to get up early.

Paderno had a stage event setup with a cooking challenge. The first one focused on pork. Each person had a mike so they could be heard. In between the cooking challenge , there was trivia with Paderno products as the prize. Ella Herrera of Los Colibris and Alida Solomon of Tutti Matti were the contenders.

While waiting and watching the challenge, there was a kitchen setup in behind the Paderno booth. They came out with asparagus and cream cheese on baguettes.

How nice

I had signed up for the Toronto Life Pairing when I got there. They have a chef along with a bartender work together to present a dish and drink. What I like about it was the seating was limited and you could sit and watch the other people standing in line. It was like being in the Windsor gardens for the wedding instead of on the sidewalk.

They changed the cocktail from Sangria to an Old Fashion. The chef, Rob Bragognolo of Campo restaurant, explained the origin of the cristil bread and how they got the anchovies to be white.

I got there at 12:45 for a 1 pm opening. By the time I left, at 2:30, the lineups were quite long. However, the chocolate tables were not busy to ended my time with 3 different chocolate snacks.