'Tis the season to gather around the table! Join Caroline Ishii on December 5 for a festive evening of Japanese-inspired comfort food, good company and holiday cheer. Caroline built this menu from some of her favourite dishes, the ones that bring her comfort throughout the year, dressed up with a few festive touches to surprise and delight.
Her inspiration is the Japanese New Year, when homes are traditionally prepared with special decorations and food offerings to welcome Toshigami, the New Year spirits who bring blessings and good fortune for the year ahead. Caroline loves the care behind those preparations and the act of making something beautiful to welcome others, show respect and express gratitude. In that spirit, this menu is her gift to you, prepared with kokoro (heart). The evening finishes with a little singing, and you're welcome to join in or simply enjoy listening.
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🌱 The menu is vegan.
Kimchi–Mushroom Dumplings
Almost every culture has a version of dumplings, Japan is justly famous for their delicious gyoza. Caroline give them her personal touch with a filling of savoury mushrooms highlighted by a bit of the tang and heat of kimchi, served in warming mushroom-miso broth, and topped with homemade furikake.
Horensō no Goma-ae
Lightly blanched spinach, squeezed and tossed in a savoury-sweet sesame dressing and toasted ground sesame seeds.
Japanese Pumpkin Curry Pot Pie
Curry may not be the first dish you think of when you think of Japan, but it's a much-loved comfort food enjoyed by children and adults alike. Japanese curry is thick, savoury and often gently sweet, with fruit such as apples adding sweetness and depth. Caroline's version is mild and fruit-based, with maple-roasted tempeh, kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) and root vegetables beneath a sumptuous pastry crust. It comes with roasted Japanese potatoes with a miso–yuzu béchamel, plus Caroline's homemade Japanese pickles and hot sauce, and creamy ginger–maple kale slaw on the side.
Spiced Chocolate Torte
This torte has a special history. Caroline served it at her first supper club, before opening ZenKitchen restaurant, and when she asked guests what they wanted to see on the restaurant menu, this dessert was at the top of the list. It has brought pleasure to many people since, and she's delighted to share it here with cranberry–cherry compote and matcha cream.
A Little Gift to Take Home
A salted chocolate truffle, to carry the evening home with you.
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Caroline Ishii is a writer, award-winning chef, and storyteller whose work explores food, memory, identity, healing, and belonging. She is the founder and executive chef of ZenKitchen, Canada's first vegan whole-foods fine-dining restaurant, named Best New Restaurant of the Year. At Gold Medal Plates, she earned two silver medals and made history as the first woman chef to compete in Ottawa, and the first to present a vegan dish in the competition's history. She was also host of the 13-part reality-documentary series The Restaurant Adventures of Caroline and Dave (W Network, OWN, Asia Food Channel). Her books include Rendezvous: Stories of Love, Loss, Identity and Belonging, Canadian Vegan Recipes (published in Japanese), and The Accidental Chef: Lessons Learned in and out of the Kitchen, in which she explored taste memories and how food connects us to people, places, and moments in our lives.
carolineishii.com | @carolineishii
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The Depanneur is where Interesting Food Things happen. For more than a decade The Dep has been showcasing Toronto's remarkable culinary diversity by hosting unique food events. @thedepanneur
