Each new Patrick Kriss restaurant draws much ballyhoo, given the Alo founder’s stature as one of Canada’s most legendary chefs. His partnership with Ace Hotel Toronto was no different; Alder has already earned Michelin recognition for its wood-fired cuisine. Alas, Kriss can’t be everywhere at once, so chef de cuisine Takayoshi Li mans the fort. “Chef Patrick’s guidance is highly valued for menu development and providing fresh perspectives and expertise on the entire dining experience due to his extensive knowledge,” Li says. “He gives us a lot of room to be creative and we like to bounce ideas off one another to create dishes.”
Alder’s menu is centred on the hearth. “We like to smoke things over the fire,” Li says. They may smoke fish bones to make a stock out of it, or use the amber from their fire to sear kanpachi to get a little char flavour into their crudo. “Cooking over an open flame requires significant skill, but the resulting dishes develop a remarkably deep and complex flavour profile,” he says.
Li’s innovation around wood-fired cooking puts him in good company with the city’s chefs. “The Toronto dining scene thrives on the innovation and creativity of its many talented chefs forging their own paths,” he says. “This diversity contributes to the city’s vibrant food landscape.”
Where does Li like to dine and drink when he wants to sample some of this succulent creativity? Now, you can explore own favourite innovative spots yourself.
