Scratch

When childhood friends Adrian Ravinsky and Dave Stewart first worked together at 16, neither could’ve guessed their early restaurant shifts would one day shape how they saw Toronto or inspire a business built around the city’s diversity. Growing up in the early 2000s, Toronto was coming into itself. There was pride, identity, attitude - yet Adrian and Dave kept asking one question: Why isn’t Toron...

When Erich Mrak lost his job as a chef during the pandemic, he did what many of us did - he went home and started cooking. What began as homemade pasta for friends and family turned into meal kits, a small wholesale business, and eventually, a tiny 620-square-foot pasta shop that would change everything. The name Tiny Market Co. was born in a dog park, when Erich and Danielle Soule - who was worki...

It all started with an email. One day, Calvin and Graham Reid’s dad sent a message to his kids that simply read: “This seems wild, but what do you think about starting a gin distillery?” That single note set the Reid family on a path that turned kitchen-counter experiments into one of Toronto’s most exciting craft distilleries. For the Reids, this wasn’t their first adventure. Years earlier, their...

When brothers Dustin and Daniel Gelman opened their first burger shop at the height of the pandemic, they thought it would be a one-time thing - a small, simple spot built around good food and community. Five years later, that single location has turned into nine neighbourhood favourites, each one still holding onto that same mom-and-pop feel. Having both spent years working across the restaurant...

When David Baxter first dreamed of opening a small retail bakery in Liberty Village, he imagined a cozy 1,600-square-foot space serving locals. Instead, Circles and Squares evolved into something much bigger - a wholesale operation supplying some of Toronto’s most iconic spots, from the Four Seasons to the Mirvish theatres. But David missed one thing: seeing people enjoy what he baked. Over the ye...

When Nicole Campbell and her friend Krysta Oben started Grape Witches, there was no business plan. Just a shared love of natural wine, a few wild ideas, and a belief that wine could bring people together in a new way. What began as late-night tastings and “natural wine raves” turned into one of Toronto’s most joyful, community-driven wine collectives - a place where wine isn’t intimidating, it’s i...

It all started with an order of 300 banana butterscotch cupcakes with maple buttercream made by his mom. And from there, Ness Levy helped turn Short & Sweet into one of Toronto’s most beloved bakeries. Sixteen years later, their very first customer still comes by, and the shop has become a safe, joyful space for everyone to celebrate - especially meaningful for Ness, who grew up with a nut all...

Tomer Markovitz didn’t take the easy route into the restaurant world. In fact, he nearly got fired five times from his first kitchen job. But instead of walking away, he stuck around and fell in love with the rhythm, energy, and chaos of hospitality. For Tomer, food has always been about love. Love for his craft, his Libyan roots, and his daughter, Romi, who inspired the name of his Toronto bakery...

At Jrew Creations, creativity comes in two forms: golden Jamaican patties and hand-stitched crochet. Co-founders Andrew Foster and Jaime Aludos built a business that blends their passions and heritages - Andrew’s family of cooks and Jaime’s love for crochet, inspired by her great-grandmother.  Their journey hasn’t been easy. When their first storefront flooded, they watched helplessly front row, e...

In many South Asian languages, Nani means grandmother and for Parry Sohi, she’s the heart behind every scoop. What began as a cupcake truck has grown into Nani’s Gelato, a small-batch brand that handcrafts every scoop in-house and blends Asian, Indian, and Italian flavours into something completely its own. Inspired by the way his mother and grandmother cooked - fresh ingredients, daily care, and...

For Leighton Walters, coffee isn’t just a drink. It’s where he found belonging. Growing up in Australia, cafés were a second home, a place where he discovered community, connection, and purpose. But his story hasn’t been without struggle. After enduring more than 66 hospital visits growing up, that resilience shaped the way he sees the world and fuels his drive to create spaces where comfort and c...

Craig Pike never set out to build a cookie empire - he just wanted to bake. With a background in acting and a tiny oven that could barely hold a tray, he started out selling cookies in paper bags and delivering them by bike around Toronto. One delivery to the Danforth even landed him on the cover of a magazine. But behind the sweet success were long nights, 3 a.m. baking sessions, eight-minute nap...

Victor Barry’s food story starts in a pizzeria, helping out his uncle and learning the ropes the scrappy way. From there, he cooked across the world, ran Toronto’s legendary Splendido, and then set out to build something of his own: Piano Piano. With its bold flavours, playful vibe, and personal touches - from floral walls to his daughter’s artwork - Piano Piano is as much about family and fun as...

Don’t be fooled by the name of the café because Dawn Chapman’s scratch story is far from lazy. Between starting a bagel chain in the UK to making documentaries, we chat with Dawn about how she turned her childhood memories on her grandparent’s farm into a beloved space for the east end community of Toronto. Plus, we ask her to share her favourite dish on the menu and spoiler alert – it’s not the a...

Maha’s story begins with a passionate, hardworking mother whose cooking was so good, even the family dogs ate better than most people. After immigrating to Canada, she couldn’t find food that felt like home - so with encouragement from her kids, she turned her natural talent into a restaurant unlike any other. In this heartfelt conversation, we talk about the joy and chaos of running a family busi...

Sugo owner Conor Joerin didn’t come up through culinary school or a polished fine-dining kitchen - he got his start working in a boxing arena. With no formal education, he relied on hustle, instinct, and a quick learner’s drive to carve out his place in the restaurant world. Today, his restaurant stands as a reflection of the community he grew up in and the childhood experiences that shaped him. I...

Imagine a world with no… brunch? Well Donna Dooher, creator of Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, lived in one while navigating the challenges of being a woman in the culinary world. In this episode, she shares her experiences of breaking barriers, shaping the culture of brunch and hitting life’s curveballs of finance, parenthood and loss. And yet through it all, Donna shares moments of her career that are...