The Dep is a unique food venue that hosts an eclectic range of food events.
Learn more about the things we do, check out our upcoming events, or learn more about how you can get involved.
“One of the most exciting alternative restaurants in town”
—Wayne Roberts, TripAdvisor, Dec 2014
“…if you want a lively social scene, really special and innovative cooking at great prices… I can’t imagine how it could get any better.”
Founded in 2011 by Len Senater, The Dep is an ongoing, evolving experiment, prototype and proof-of-concept exploring food’s role in building community, creating opportunity and celebrating diversity. It has evolved over the years into a kind of convivial urban food hub where food producers, creators and consumers can connect and explore new food ideas in a fun, informal setting.
To find out more about The Dep, you can check out what others have written, read some customer reviews (4.6 out of 5 stars!), or dig into my own slightly ranty manifesto.
In early 2016, the Dep extended an invitation to newly-arrived Syrian refugees who found themselves stuck in hotels for many weeks, with no access to kitchens to cook for themselves or their families. This blossomed into the wildly successful Newcomer Kitchen, a non-profit social enterprise that invites newcomer women to prepare and sell meals in a fun, social setting, while earning revenue through dignified, meaningful work.
Like many food venues, The Depanneur was deeply challenged by the COVID crisis. Unable to host in-person events for more than 2 years, The Dep pivoted to a contactless pick up model, and also hosted a series of socially-distanced picnics as part of its 5-year collaboration with The Bentway. It also used this lacuna to compile 100 recipes from 100 cooks who had cooked at The Depanneur over the previous decade to form the basis of The Depanneur Cookbook. Launched as a Kickstarter at the end of 2020, it went on to become the most successful Canadian cookbook campaign ever, and was subsequently picked up by Simon & Schuster Canada.
The Depanneur closed its iconic College St location at end of 2021, and took an extended sabbatical to rest, travel and finish the work on the cookbook. Alongside the publication of The Depanneur Cookbook in Spring 2024, The Depanneur also began work on a new private dining room and culinary event space at the Centre for Social Innovation. Created in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Food & Ecology, the new Depanneur is located in the CCFE Solutions Salon on the top floor of CSI Spadina, looking out over downtown Toronto.
