Modern Canadian catering

What we mean by modern Canadian

Canadian cooking is less a fixed set of dishes than a way of working: start with what grows and is raised nearby, cook it simply, and borrow technique from the many kitchens that make up a city like Toronto. On our menus that means:

• Ontario vegetables and fruit from the Holland Marsh, Niagara and Norfolk County when they are in season.
• Great Lakes and Canadian fish: pickerel (walleye), lake whitefish, rainbow trout and Arctic char.
• Ontario meats and cheese: beef, pork, lamb and chicken, and cheddars and washed-rind cheeses from Ontario and Quebec.
• Canadian pantry flavours: maple, apple cider, mustard, wild rice, smoked fish and preserved fruit.
• Classic Canadian sweets used thoughtfully: butter tarts, Nanaimo bars, maple pie.

Where exact farms and suppliers matter to you, ask us. We name sources in your proposal only when we have confirmed them for your date, not as general marketing.

Seasonality: how the menu changes

This cuisine depends on the calendar more than any other we cook, so the sample menu below is a fall menu. Here is roughly how the Ontario year looks for event planning:

• Late April to June: asparagus, rhubarb, spring onions, pea shoots, then strawberries in June. Maple syrup from the March–April season is fresh in the pantry.
• July to August: sweet corn, field tomatoes, zucchini, new potatoes, blueberries, Niagara peaches and cherries.
• September to November: apples, pears, squash, beets, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and grapes. This is the richest season for weddings and harvest dinners.
• December to March: storage crops (carrots, parsnips, celeriac, cabbage, potatoes, onions), greenhouse greens, preserves and braised meats. Holiday party menus live here.

If you book a June wedding in January, we write a draft menu from the expected season and confirm dishes about six weeks before, when we know what the crop looks like.

How the dishes travel and hold

Modern Canadian menus lean on techniques that suit plated and reception service, so we plan them carefully for transport.

• Braises such as beef short rib or pork shoulder are cooked the day before, chilled, and reheated on site. They hold beautifully and are the backbone of winter menus.
• Delicate fish like pickerel and trout is seared or roasted at the venue in portable ovens, never cooked in the kitchen and held for an hour.
• Roasted root vegetables and grains such as wild rice hold well hot or at room temperature, which makes them good for buffets and boxed lunches.
• Canapés are assembled on site from prepared components, so toasts, tart shells and blini stay crisp.
• Summer produce like tomatoes and corn is prepared as close to service as possible; a cut tomato does not improve in a cooler.

Service formats that suit it

Plated dinners are the most common format for this menu: a seasonal first course, a protein with vegetables, and a dessert built on Ontario fruit. See our plated dinner menu, which starts from $92 per person.

Canapé receptions for client events and cocktail-style weddings: smoked trout on rye with horseradish, Ontario cheddar and apple gougères, mushroom tarts, short rib on crisp potato. See the canapé menu.

Family-style harvest dinners at barns, farms and backyards, where platters of roast chicken, grain salads and roasted vegetables go down long tables. See barn and farm venues.

Corporate holiday parties often use this cuisine because it reads as neutral and seasonal to a diverse team. See holiday party catering.

Dietary overlaps

• Gluten-free: a modern Canadian plate (protein, vegetables, potatoes or wild rice, a pan sauce) is easy to build without gluten ingredients. We thicken sauces with reductions or starch rather than flour where we can. Our kitchen is shared, so for celiac guests read gluten-free vs celiac-safe catering.
• Vegan: we plan a real vegan main for each season, for example roasted squash with wild rice, maple-roasted carrots and toasted seeds, rather than a plate of the sides. See vegan catering.
• Dairy-free: butter and cream are common in this style, so dairy-free plates are marked and prepared separately.
• Halal-sourced: any of the meat dishes can use halal-sourced beef, lamb or chicken, with pork and wine left out. Sourcing is confirmed in writing; see halal catering.