[10am] MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH: Filipino Fiesta by Maria Polotan

CSI Spadina 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Maria Polotan probably did more to transform my appreciation of Filipino food than anyone. Prior to starting The Dep, I hadn’t really had much experience with this cuisine. But that all changed when Maria brought these amazing flavours to Mama Linda’s — her 2020 Brunch residency at The Dep, and then to Lami, her East end brunch pop-up. All I can say is if you have not had the chance to try silog, the classic Filipino brunch of garlic fried rice with a fried duck egg, topped with Maria's homemade savoury-sweet, Pinoy-style sausage or hash, you want to get on that ASAP. (Note: Maria makes all of her sausage and corned beef from scratch (brined for 1 week!) using quality local meats from Sanagan's, and uses gluten-free soy sauce throughout.)  Since this has become one of my all-time favourite brunch meals, and Mother's Day is the quintessential brunch day, it only makes sense to bring these things together at The Dep with three 2-hour family-style seatings: 10am, 12pm and 2pm.

$19.00 – $39.00

[12pm] MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH: Filipino Fiesta by Maria Polotan

CSI Spadina 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Maria Polotan probably did more to transform my appreciation of Filipino food than anyone. Prior to starting The Dep, I hadn’t really had much experience with this cuisine. But that all changed when Maria brought these amazing flavours to Mama Linda’s — her 2020 Brunch residency at The Dep, and then to Lami, her East end brunch pop-up. All I can say is if you have not had the chance to try silog, the classic Filipino brunch of garlic fried rice with a fried duck egg, topped with Maria's homemade savoury-sweet, Pinoy-style sausage or hash, you want to get on that ASAP. (Note: Maria makes all of her sausage and corned beef from scratch (brined for 1 week!) using quality local meats from Sanagan's, and uses gluten-free soy sauce throughout.)  Since this has become one of my all-time favourite brunch meals, and Mother's Day is the quintessential brunch day, it only makes sense to bring these things together at The Dep with three 2-hour family-style seatings: 10am, 12pm and 2pm.

$19.00 – $39.00

[2pm] MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH: Filipino Fiesta by Maria Polotan

CSI Spadina 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Maria Polotan probably did more to transform my appreciation of Filipino food than anyone. Prior to starting The Dep, I hadn’t really had much experience with this cuisine. But that all changed when Maria brought these amazing flavours to Mama Linda’s — her 2020 Brunch residency at The Dep, and then to Lami, her East end brunch pop-up. All I can say is if you have not had the chance to try silog, the classic Filipino brunch of garlic fried rice with a fried duck egg, topped with Maria's homemade savoury-sweet, Pinoy-style sausage or hash, you want to get on that ASAP. (Note: Maria makes all of her sausage and corned beef from scratch (brined for 1 week!) using quality local meats from Sanagan's, and uses gluten-free soy sauce throughout.)  Since this has become one of my all-time favourite brunch meals, and Mother's Day is the quintessential brunch day, it only makes sense to bring these things together at The Dep with three 2-hour family-style seatings: 10am, 12pm and 2pm.

$19.00 – $39.00

COOKING CLASS: Full-Day Breadmaking Intensive by Leo Baduria

Café ZuZu 555 Dundas Street East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Join artisanal baker Leo Baduria for a full-day, in-depth exploration of the fundamentals of great bread. You’ll learn how to make your own sourdough starter, and how to prepare different types of dough, using various grains and flours. There will be hands-on practice of the techniques to folding, kneading and shaping dough to make focaccia/fougasse, baguettes, boules, batards and brioches, including challah braids.

$159.00

SUPPER CLUB: Parsi Ghambar by Niloufer Mavalvala [Offsite]

Mississauga , Canada

Parsis are a Zoroastrian community descended from Persians who migrated from Persia around 7th century, with most settling on the west coast of India. Over the past 1300 years, while it has adopted many Indian culinary ingredients and techniques, Parsi food has remained a unique regional cuisine that still echos flavours and techniques from ancient Persia. Niloufer Mavalvala is the award-winning author of several books on Parsi cooking, and our guide this evening she shares her home with us for an intimate cooking demonstration and family style meal of traditional Parsi dishes, along with stories about the food and Parsi culture. This is a unique opportunity to dive into a rare and fascinating culinary tradition and learn about Parsi culture, traditions, customs, and heritage. This special meal is one of six annual Ghambars - seasonal Zoroastrian festivals celebrating nature’s blessings and the creation of the world through communal feasting and sharing. The emphasis of the Ghambar is on gratitude, the spirit of community, a sense of belonging and, most importantly, the ideal of equality despite one’s class or financial status.

Get Tickets $79.00 16 tickets left

COOKING CLASS: Classic Roman Pasta 4 Ways with Chef Anthony Sestito

CSI Spadina 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Join Chef Anthony Sestitoa for hands-on journey through four classics of Roman pasta: Cacio e Pepe, Carbonara, Alla Gricia, and Alfredo. You’ll ease into the class with a beautiful spread of antipasto on arrival, and then dive into learning how to make a simple and versatile fresh pasta dough from scratch, with an emphasis on choosing the right flours and the importance of resting the dough. Everyone will prepare a portion of fresh tagliatelle or spaghetti, and from there will be guided through the nuances of each sauce — exploring techniques, ingredients, and the subtle differences that define each recipe. Rather than individual cooking stations, the focus is on collaborative preparation and discussion. The final dishes are finished together and served family-style for a tasting that captures the full spirit of Roman cooking. A relaxed, informative, and delicious way to get hands-on with Italy’s most iconic pasta traditions.

Get Tickets $74.00 15 tickets left

SUPPER CLUB: Modern Pakistani by Nausheen Rafiq

CSI Spadina 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Haem’s Table is named after Niharika’s maternal grandmother, Hemlata—lovingly called Haem. Through Haem’s Table, Niharika explores her immigrant experience and her evolving relationship with food. Having lived in seven cities - currently in Toronto - her life has been shaped by a constantly changing backdrop of people, places, and stories. What has remained constant is her connection to food—an anchor to her heritage and a guide through her personal growth. This five-course menu reimagines South Indian childhood favourites using Canadian seasonal produce. Think of it as an adult kid’s menu, filled with all things green.

Get Tickets $79.00 23 tickets left

COOKING CLASS: Syrian Brunch by Rahaf Alakabani

CSI Spadina 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

A popular dish throughout the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean), kibbeh comes in a vast array of shapes and flavours — in Syria, Aleppo alone is said to have more than twenty different kinds. Best known are made from a bulgur dough combined with finely ground meat and spices, carefully stuffed and formed into small football-shaped dumplings that are fried to a crisp, dark auburn. Making and stuffing kibbeh is a group activity just about every Syrian woman would have participated in at one time or another — virtually no major occasion occurs without the appearance of a platter (or mountain) of kibbeh at the table. Talented cook, musician and co-founder of Newcomer Kitchen, Rahaf Alakbani is no stranger to making kibbeh, and she will be sharing her favourite recipes and techniques in this fun, hands-on class.

Get Tickets $79.00 12 tickets left

COOKING CLASS: Gnocchi from Scratch with Laura Guanti

Gnocchi are the magical lovechild of pasta and dumplings, versatile enough to be rustic and homey comfort food, or delicate and elegant special-occasion fare. Their secret lies in how easy they can be to make from scratch, once you know how. Laura Guanti will introduce you to some of the many varieties of gnocchi, start with the simplest: a rustic, hand-shaped pasta of semolina flour and water formed on special press board. From here you’ll move on to the more famous classic potato gnocchi but with a few interesting variations: regular white potato gnocchi, a green spinach gnocchi, and black squid ink gnocchi!

Get Tickets $74.00 11 tickets left

SUPPER CLUB: It’s Lekker: South African Shabbat by Alissa Kondogiannis

CSI Spadina 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

For thousands of years Jewish people have been gathering around the table on Friday nights to celebrate a humble but ancient ritual, the sabbath meal. The lighting of candles, the singing of simple blessings and the breaking of bread have been the unifying thread that has connected Jewish life across centuries and continents. In this multi-dinner series, Alissa Kondogiannis explores Shabbat dinners as they have evolved in Jewish communities around the world, e.g. Ashkenazi in Eastern Europe, Sephardi in Spain and North Africa, Mizrahi in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Alissa grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa with a Canadian mother and a South African father. Her father's mother owned and ran one of the leading catering companies in the Jewish community and Alissa remembers lavish Shabbat and holiday meals that always had the flavours of South African Jewry at its core: a mix of traditional Lithuanian and the spices and tastes of the Portuguese and Malaysians that settled in early South Africa.

Get Tickets $74.00 25 tickets left