Toronto Taste Serves Up Delicacies in Japanese Setting

Taste buds were tantalized at Toronto Taste, Second Harvest’s 17th annual gala fund-raiser held at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. Some 1,300 guests dished out $225 each to nibble on fifty five new culinary creations presented by many of Toronto’s top chefs. For the 12th consecutive year, The Daniels Corporation was the presenting sponsor of Toronto Taste, which raised $525,000 for Second Harvest.

Among those seen enjoying the delectable delights were Don Ferguson of Royal Canadian Air Farce and eminent food writers Lucy Waverman and Sara Waxman. But the real star power came from the more than 50 local chefs who donated their time and talent. The star-studded line up included of chefs included Mark McEwen (North 44 and Bymark), Keith Froggett (Scarmouche), Dufflet Rosenberg (Dufflet Pastries), Hiro Yoshida (Hiro Sushi Restaurant & Catering), Michael Potters (Harvest), and Tobey Nemeth (Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar).Their efforts resulted in dishes such as smoked duck-wrapped scallops, steamed lobster custard, wild boar terrine, pickled wild leeks, quail eggs, and Roman artichoke crostini. “The chefs put so much of their culinary prowess forward into their dishes,” said Jennifer Verschraegen, Second Harvest’s manager of special events and sponsorship. “Each on its own was exquisite, but together the fifty-five dishes created an incredible symphony of tastes.” Complementing the cuisine were free-flowing wines, beers, and gourmet coffees provided by more than 30 beverage sponsors and participants, including the Board of Trade of Alsace, France, which presented six different regional wines.

Most of the display tables were draped in plain white cloths and were enhanced by bold florals donated by seven different local florists. The arrangements included mixed bouquets exploding in vivid pinks, reds, yellows, and greens.  Simple yellow orchids rested on beds of coffee beans, and billowy white carnations and yellow miniature orchids floated in tall, water-filled clear glass vases. The real colour enhancements, however, came from the ingredients of the food itself, which nicely reflected the event colour palate of chocolate, tan, taupe, white, and tangerine.

The Sun Life Financial-sponsored live auction offered popular items including Caribbean vacations and dream kitchens, while the silent auction and rare wine auction also generated flurried bidding. A $15,000 trip to China was raffled off. Guests were entertained by performances that included a six-piece Japanese drum ensemble, various acoustic acts, the electric violin stylings of Dr. Draw, and a set by Canadian Idol contestant Rex Goudie. Cool giveaways included sake sets from Ozawa Canada, gourmet sauce pans from Sodexho, gourmet pizza cutters from All-Clad Metalcrafters LLC, and a souvenir cookbook containing all 55 event recipes.