Michelin Star-Studded Dinner in Toronto

Boulud giving diners more white wine sauce

I had some outstanding meals in Toronto, which has changed my perception of the city that I lived in from 2001-2002. The diet was mostly hamburgers, steaks, and ham, oh and lots of potatoes. 

A lot has changed in over 25 years for sure, and the Michelin Guide and North America's 50 Best have helped the city develop a more sophisticated palate.

Duck pate en croute served like a cake slice

At the beginning of my trip, I was lucky to attend a four-hands collaboration featuring superstar celebrity chef Daniel Boulud with chef Guillaume Gailliot, who helms the three Michelin-starred Caprice in the Four Seasons Hong Kong.

They presented a stellar six-course dinner that was classic French at Cafe Boulud in the Four Seasons Toronto. Galliot cooked the first three dishes. Veloute de petits pois or green pea soup with a dollop of krystal caviar was a taste of spring, the peas so fresh and seasoned with brininess from the caviar.

The tarte de canard was a riff off of pate en croute. Instead of making the duck terrine in long rectangular molds, Galliot presented it like a giant round cake, studded with pistachio on the exterior. The "cake" was paraded around the dining room before it was sliced up and served with strawberries, and spiced caramel. It was delicious, though quite rich.

Lobster with white asparagus and morels

For the third dish, the chef from the Loire Valley presented one of his signatures, lobster tail with white asparagus, stuffed morel mushroom comte and white wine sauce. Boulud even came by to each diner to pour more of the beautiful white wine sauce on their plates.

Then it was the master chef's turn in the kitchen and Boulud's baked black cod was so light, coated with breadcrumbs for a slight crunch, and accompanied with purple potato and sorrel coulis.

The other main course was a tender lamb saddle with gravy, a dollop of vegetable custard and spring garlic jus. While the lamb was fantastic, the rest of the dish seemed a bit lost in terms of presentation.

Nevertheless, dessert was exquisite, a delicate raspberry rhubarb treat with olive oil whipped ganache on top of a semolina cake, accompanied with refreshing rhubarb ice cream and raspberry jam. 

Black cod with a tart sauce, and purple potato

It was great to see Galliot who I have known for about 15 years and watched him grow and evolve, his dishes more sophisticated and indulgent. 

I had the pleasure of meeting Boulud when he did a four-hands dinner with chef Richard Ekkebus in September 2013 at Amber. Back then Boulud already had ambitions of opening a restaurant in Hong Kong, but the location and timing weren't right.

But a few months ago he finally opened Terrace Boulud in the space formerly occupied by Sevva in Prince's Building. It's a very big space, but Boulud would probably be the only celebrity chef to be able to fill it. The kitchen is helmed by chef Aurelie Altemaire, who I interviewed several years ago when she worked in a French restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, and she later moved to Felix in the Peninsula Hong Kong.

She is a Joel Robuchon apprentice, having worked under him for 10 years, so she has experience leading a brigade. I hope she succeeds.

Galliot meeting diners in Toronto

In the meantime she is helping Boulud fulfil his dream of opening in Hong Kong. He recalled working in Hong Kong in the early 1980s and watching the HSBC headquarters in Central being built, and now from his restaurant he can still gaze at it. A full circle moment? We'll see.