The pancake is smooth and airy and becomes moist
in my mouth as I bite down on a thick slice of a warm, wrinkly apple that gushes with juice. Hints of
cinnamon burst subtly in my mouth with every bite and roasted walnuts invade my taste buds with a surge of
salt and crunch. Gosh, I’m craving for more already…
Minutes before, Ezra Title was bustling around in his stark white chef jacket. He’s brought some of his tasty
creations to the One of Kind Show and everyone knows they’re in for a treat.
Everyone’s attention is called and Title begins his speech. He says he’s thrilled to be catering for the One
of a Kind show. “I was asked by the One of a Kind Show to do the breakfast and it’s because my ideals and the
One of a Kind Show’s ideals are in line,” says Title.
What he’s referring to are the truly unique menus he creates for each of his clients, which is a similar
mentality to the mandate of the One of a Kind show. Like the event’s name suggests, many of the show’s
artisans sell truly one of a kind products.
Chezvous Dining is Title’s own renowned catering business. He personally attends your event — whether it is
intimate dinners, cooking classes, cocktail parties or small plate tasting's. He brings scrumptious cuisine,
which you personalize in your home anywhere within the Greater Toronto Area.
Originally from Toronto, Title decided to study in the United States under prestigious chefs in both San
Francisco and New York. “When I left to cook, I knew I was going to come home,” he says. “I wanted to work
for particular chefs so that’s why I went to those cities, but this is where my family is, my friends are,
and this is where I want to raise my kids.”
He says what he learned from the culinary world in San Francisco is that they are largely about seasonality
and using fresh ingredients. In New York what he took away was how to manipulate those ingredients to achieve
a desired effect. Title certainly brought what he learned to his cooking in Toronto. In any of the dishes he
creates for his clients, the ingredients all come from one of the six farmers’ markets he shops at.
He is also a big advocate of simple, organic ingredients. “I really prefer to know what is in and, most
likely, what is not in my ingredients,” he says. However, when it’s not organic, he is an advocate
of staying local.
What he’s eager to find in the market more often as summer arrives is asparagus. “When you get great local
asparagus, there’s nothing like it,” says Title. “And for me it’s more of a symbol than anything that the
weather is nice, it’s time to shed your layers, and start cooking with really fresh ingredients.”
He says he’s so excited when he sees it in the market that he’ll incorporate it into everything — and he’s
not kidding. “I make asparagus soup, I do lots of vegetable mixtures with asparagus, I’ll roast it, I’ll deep
fry it, I’ll do anything I can with asparagus,” he says.
Title’s One of a Kind show breakfast displays his dedication to organic and locally produced ingredients. He
concludes his speech with an overview of the dishes he’s made:
He begins by describing breakfast: poached eggs, scoured of course from a local Mennonite farmer, topped with
a cauliflower and mushroom hash. Saliva starts to build in my mouth.
Up next are roasted potato fingers with wilted spinach from ecological growers. I close my eyes as my stomach
rumbles when he lets the word “potato” ring through the microphone.
The potatoes are followed by organic vanilla yogurt, flavoured with honey granola and last year’s summer
fruit jelly. “Stop teasing me!” I think.
I’m sitting on the edge of my chair and I’m ready to spring when he finally announces the last dish: apple
pancakes with cinnamon brown sugar, crème fraiche and roasted walnuts. “I’m sorry I can’t stay; I’m filming
an episode of my show, Healthy Gourmet…,” he’s saying.
I think, “He has a show... no way!?”
“…but enjoy the breakfast.”
And I’m off and running to the buffet.•
