At The Pass With Haan Palcu-Chang
At The Pass is a monthly series showcasing Toronto’s best chefs. You won’t find any celebrity chefs featured here. Perhaps you already know these fine cooks, but maybe not. They’re not famous - yet. But it’s time these talented, passionate, hard-working chefs got a bit of the spotlight.
Currently
Chef de Cuisine, Favorites Thai BBQ
Formerly
Maenam (Vancouver), Kiin Kiin (Copenhagen), Le Mary Celeste (Paris), and Le Bon Funk (Singapore).
Favourite dish to make right now
Fragrant Scallop Curry.
Last cookbook purchase
The Food of Northern Thailand by Austin Bush.
Have you read it/tried any recipes
Yes. My favourite recipes I have tried so far are the Green Mango and Shrimp Paste Salad and the pounded salad of bitter gourd and eggplant.
Name one dish or ingredient you’d like to see gone from menus
Truffle oil.
And one dish or ingredient that you’re excited about right now and would like to see on more menus
Holy Basil.
Your biggest influences
In the professional kitchen, Angus An and Grant van Gameren. Outside, my dad.
If you could eat at any restaurant in the world
Soei in Bangkok.
Last thing you ate
Moldy piece of toast with sunflower butter and shitty honey.
Three must-have ingredients always in your fridge
Eggs, Sriracha, fruit.
Guilty pleasure
Fake crab meat.
Top 3 favourite Toronto restaurants
Omei Restaurant, Anh Dao, and Dragonboat Fusion.
Top 3 favourite Toronto bars
Don’t really go out drinking….
Your go-to drink
Gin and soda.
One habit you have in the kitchen that you should lose, but can’t seem to shake
Tapping the counter with my marker… waiting for plates to be put up on the pass, haha.
One habit you have in the kitchen that will inspire young chefs
Honesty. Both with yourself and the people you work with.
Name one hidden talent
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Purple Belt.
Best career advice you ever received
If you do a job, do it well. - My dad.
Worst career advice you ever received
Just stay for the paycheck.
Your advice for young cooks starting out in the business
There’s no secret to this. You put in the time, you work hard, you always hold yourself to the highest standard possible, you don’t take short cuts, you will succeed. If you don’t do these things, you’ll just be an average cook serving average food at an average restaurant like everybody else.
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At The Pass is a monthly series showcasing Toronto/GTA’s best chefs. You won’t find any celebrity chefs featured here. Perhaps you already know these fine cooks, but maybe not. They’re not famous - yet. But it’s time these talented, passionate, hard-working chefs got a bit of the spotlight.
Know someone in Toronto or GTA who should be featured? Submit their name for consideration.