Skip to main content

REVIEW | Hawthorne Food & Drink

I guess we're a little late for New Years Resolutions but if we're making changes to improve ourselves, who cares when we make it, right? Ever since we started this blog in 2014, we have been so fortunate to meet amazing people who share the same love for food as we do and have been to so many amazing restaurants in Toronto. This year for us will be about spending more time with the people we care about and doing things that give back to the community that we're so thankful to be a part of. 

Photo credit to GoodFoodToronto

We were able to do just that by having dinner at Hawthorne Food & Drink with our foodie friends GoodFoodToronto and GoodFoodJess :)

So how exactly does a restaurant help us achieve our New Year's Resolution of giving back to the community? We're not exactly volunteering there or anything. The whole concept behind Hawthorne (asides from their delicious food) is that they provide free training and career development for people in need of skills and employment.

That sounds pretty amazing to me considering how many people in Toronto are constantly looking for jobs. In 2015, 80% of their trainees were placed in the hospitality industry of Toronto! Not only are they giving back to the community but they amazing food made from local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients, talk about a win win!  We were fortunate to have been able to speak with Executive Chef - Ricky Casipe who has done so much at such a young age. He is a firm believer of the concept "Farm -to- Fork" which is definitely a food culture that is on the rise. 

Check out some of the dishes we tried that night - one of our favourites was definitely the jerk chicken, it's meant for 2 people but was filling even for 3! 

Photo credit to GoodFoodToronto

Photo credit to GoodFoodToronto

Photo credit to GoodFoodToronto

Photo credit to GoodFoodToronto

The carrot cake we had was definitely up there in my top carrot cakes that I've had. This one tasted much healthier than other ones that I've tried and wasn't too sweet at all. 

I can't wait to go back and share with all my friends all the amazing things that Hawthorne does and we highly recommend that you do too! 


Our meal was complimentary but opinions are our own -

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

EVENT | Our Recap on the Delicious Food Show 2014 - what we ate, drank & loved!

The 3-day Delicious Food Show, perfect for food lovers in Toronto is back for 2014. Unlike other culinary shows that happen in the city, what I like about DFS is that it's not massive and overcrowded but has a good number of exhibitors and features an impressive list of celebrity chefs, cooking demonstrations and workshops - talk about interactive! I returned this year and left with a full stomach once again. Taco de Pollo by Milagro Cantina Check out all the delicious food we tried at the DFS 2014: Pulled Pork Taco by Aracata Ahi Tuna Taco & Shrimp Taco by Buster's Sea Cove - Favourite! Parachute Coffee La Hora Azul-Blue Hour Tequila Fanny Bay Oysters by Ourrr Lobster Shack Maple Salmon Sushi Shiso Kimbo Chowder by Hapa Izakaya Pasta E Fagioli by The Good Son Ontario Poached Pear Cheesecake by The Good Son On Friday, we watched as the audience as Chef Mark McEwan showed us how to create one of Bymark 's most popular dish, the Lobster Poutine. Let's just say Chef M...

REVIEW | Light Cafe

We find Baldwin Village to be a street in Toronto that is ever growing. You'll never know what to expect in terms of businesses that will pop up! Not to mention it's diverse food culture including gelato, ramen, Italian, Filipino food and so much more. It doesn't surprise us at all that Light Cafe decided to take residence on Baldwin.  I have traveled quite extensively through Asia and can say with confidence that Light Cafe looks exactly like a cafe you would find in Taiwan. Not only is it spacious inside, I love the minimalist decor inside which provides a calming atmosphere. I could see myself sitting at the cafe for hours (within reason haha) and getting some work done.  The first thing that we noticed and I'm sure many of you will as well - is the living wall. I don't think I've ever been to a restaurant where there was a living wall but I've always wanted one of my own. With the natural sunlight coming in with the wall, it's the perfect place to f...

WORKSHOP | Sausage Making Class at The Healthy Butcher on Eglinton!

Recently named 'Best Butcher in Toronto' by Now Magazine, the Healthy Butcher   just may become your go-to butcher shop for organically & locally-sourced meats as well as sustainable seafood!  It's no surprise that The Healthy Butcher caters to those that 'live to eat' as they're passionate about food themselves. In fact, they're so serious, that they offer educational and fun workshops on roasting, knife skills, butchering and lots more... The hands-on workshops and classes are held on weekday evenings and range from $40 to $125 per person depending on the class.  With an intimate group, you'll be sure to learn a new set of skills at these 2.5 hr classes at The Healthy Butcher in the company of other food lovers.  When I first heard about their workshops, I thought it would be a perfect team-building exercise for co-workers but it would be great to take friends or family as it's a great time overall. The Healthy Butcher Sausage War Media Class w...