At The Pass with Joshua Morin
At The Pass is a weekly 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. Introducing Joshua Morin.
🕒 4.5 min read
Currently
Sous Chef, Park Hyatt Toronto
Formerly
Richmond Station, Langdon Hall, Fogo Island Inn
Favourite dish to make right now
One dish in particular from our dinner menu at Park Hyatt that I’m really excited about is this sweet potato dish. It’s a sweet potato that’s been cooked and dried, marinated in barley shio koji, grilled over charcoal, and served with an Ontario peanut miso.
Last cookbook purchase
Have you read it/tried any recipes
I’ve read it front to back a couple of times now, but have only tried a few recipes so far. It’s a really great book filled with inspiring dishes and new techniques. Would recommend.
One dish or ingredient you’d like to see gone from menus
Unsustainable seafood.
And one dish or ingredient that you’re excited about right now and would like to see on more menus
Dried fermented herb powders, They pack serious flavour. Use them as a seasoning.
Biggest influences
I’d say Smyth in Chicago is a big influence of mine at the moment, but it’s always changing. There’s always new things to learn and this industry is full of talented people doing really incredible things.
If you could eat at any restaurant in the world
Septime in Paris. I have a trip booked for next year.
Last thing you ate
Pork steam bun. Actually a Cubano Steam Bun, one of our snacks here at the new bar, Writers Room.
Three must-have ingredients always in your fridge
Mushrooms (Marc’s Mushrooms home delivery makes this easy), good quality soy sauce, fresh pasta.
Guilty pleasure
Nanaimo bars. Sickly sweet but so good.
Top 3 favourite Toronto restaurants
Top 3 favourite Toronto bars
Burdock, Alchemy Food & Drink, Happy Coffee and Wine
Go-to drink
Paper Plane.
One habit you have in the kitchen that you should lose, but can’t seem to shake
Snacking on too much chocolate from the pastry kitchen.
And one habit you have in the kitchen that will inspire young chefs
Organization. I’m always cleaning and organizing while I work. In my opinion, it’s the key to working efficient.
Hidden talent
I’m a very good whistler.
Best career advice you ever received
Choose where you want to work and work there. Don’t settle for anything less. - Susan Shaw at The Culinary Institute of Canada
Worst career advice you ever received
I had a chef once tell me that I should reassess my career choice as he didn’t think I could make it in this industry. I think I proved him wrong.
Your advice for a young cook starting out in the business
Don’t overexert yourself. The road to becoming a chef sure is a long one, but it’s all about finding that proper balance between work and life. At the end of the day, your wellness is most important. Make sure to take time for yourself to rest and reflect.
In order to support chefs during this time, the monthly At The Pass series is now WEEKLY. Know someone in Toronto or GTA who should be featured? Submit their name for consideration. And yes, you can nominate yourself.
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