the Chefs

Michael Stadtländer

Michael is one of the world’s most accomplished chefs and has been the EDC Gala lead chef from the beginning. His home, Eigensinn Farm, was ranked as the ninth best restaurant in the world by London based Restaurant Magazine, and one of the top three restaurants in Canada by the New York Times. Michael is also one of the country’s most ardent promoters of local, organic food and is actively involved in the “slow food” movement. In the late 80s, Michael and Jamie Kennedy founded “Knives and Forks” to promote regional organic farmers. They also started Toronto’s first organic farmers market.

In the summer of 2009, Michael opened Haisai Restaurant and Bakery with his wife Nobuyo in Singhampton, ON. The new venture aims to source and serve seasonal dishes using organic produce from local farmers and gardeners. Eigensinn Farm will be the primary source of ingredients for Haisai’s dishes in concert with the bounty of the waters and forests of Georgian Bay and the Niagara Escarpment. Haisai extends Eigensinn Farm’s philosophies and practices of using locally raised and foraged ingredients.

“Haisai” is the how the friendly people of Okinawa, Japan greet one another!

Anthony Rose

Anthony awoke his passion for food under David Lee at Centro. Upon graduating from the California Culinary Academy, he worked alongside legendary chefs Bradley Ogden at the Lark Creek Inn and Mark Franz at Farallon, savouring the cuisine culture of Northern California. A move to the East Coast brought Anthony to Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Mercer Kitchen and Jonathan Waxman’s Washington Park, lending a New York edge to his California “farm house” cooking. Anthony now resides at Toronto’s Drake Hotel, bringing with him his fresh and flavourful approach to food.