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The Dep is a versatile, multi-use space designed to host different kinds of informal food-related events, including Drop-In Dinners, Workshops & Supper Clubs. We also host a lively weekend brunch and offer commercial kitchen space for rent by the hour or the month. We're also the home of Newcomer Kitchen, an innovative new nonprofit social enterprise that provides a venue for Syrian refugee women
SAT OCT 18- Hand-Shaped Pastas of Southern Italy with Anthony Sestito
Join Chef Anthony Sestito of Pastaio for a fun, hands-on class exploring a selection of traditional eggless pastas and shapes typical of Southern Italy.
You’ll ease into the class with a beautiful spread of antipasto on arrival, and then dive into learning how to make a simple and versatile fresh pasta dough from scratch, with an emphasis on choosing the right flours and the importance of resting the dough. Then Chef Anthony will walk you through some classic shapes and styles of pasta made focusing on classic hand-shaped pastas such as Cavatelli, Orecchiette, Fileja, and Lorighittas. There will be a discussion of the pairing of different shapes and sizes with their traditional sauces. The class culminates in a light meal of Orecchiette with Sausage & Rapini. (Veg/Vegan option available on request).
Any extra pasta made in class can be taken home, along with PDF recipes and new skills to impress your friends!
Join Chef Taylor Parker for an in-depth introduction to venison butchery.
This hands-on workshop will cover the techniques and cuts for processing a whole deer, including primal cuts, specialty cuts, ground meat and sausage. Participants will take home generous, vacuum-sealed portions of the meats they prepared in class, along with notes and recipes.
Food is tied to gratitude in myriad ways. Indigenous cultures the world over thank nature for its abundance and generosity, the hunted animal for its gift and sacrifice. Jewish meals start with a blessing of the bread, turning every mundane act of eating into a small opportunity to feel and express something more sacred. North America's arguably biggest secular celebration is both centred around food and giving thanks, an inheritance of an agricultural legacy that would greet a plentiful harvest with deep thankfulness and relief. The traditional Christian meal starts with a small prayer of thanks. Just In case we ever forgot why, they helpfully called it grace, evoking the emotional state of near-overwhelming gratitude one can rarely experience for the very fact of being alive and being sustained, which transforms simply being into being loved deeply and unconditionally.
In her deep dive into the phenomenology of gratitude, The Gift of Thanks, Margaret Visser acknowledges that gratitude is bound to, and grounded in, an impulse towards reciprocity. Poet and critic Lewis Hyde expands on this further in The Gift, his profound and influential exploration of the 'gift economy'. The power of the gift is sustained by the act of giving, and only in being given away does it become valuable. On the eve of Canadian Thanksgiving I have a lot to be thankful for: my health and wellbeing, my privilege and good fortune. For those I love and who love me back. For the relative safety, security and sanity of my country. For work that fulfils and nourishes me in so many ways. All of these things made more precious by their very fragility.
So I feel called to two things this week: to express my thanks to those whose help and support have been essential to the flourishing The Dep in the last year, and to announce some ways we are trying to give back. I'd like to start by thanking my keystone partners, Sarah Heynan, Alan Levine and the team at the Canadian Center for Food and Ecology (CCFE), and Tonya Surman, Marcus Hyunh and the whole Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) for their generous support of The Depanneur's renaissance at the CCFE Solutions Salon at CSI Spadina. Giant thanks to everyone in the Dep fam: my amazing colleague Neil Coletta, Martin Laws for the beautiful new website, Ksenija Hotic, Laura Bombier & Zinal Gamit for photography and video, Abby & Maddy for admin support, and the invaluable facilities crew CJ, Naranjan, Rainbow and Tolga. None of this would be possible without the contributions of all the amazing culinary talents we have the privilege of working with, and of course, you, whose support and patronage keeps us all fed.
To reflect back all this generosity and privilege is a big task. Since the inception of The Depanneur I tried to find ways to give back: through hundreds of Kiva microloans to women food entrepreneurs around the world, through the work of Newcomer Kitchen, through our Pay-What-You-Can dinners with Emily Zimmerman and Fresh City Farms, though hundreds of meals donated through our Pay It Forward programs, through thousands of dollars raised for Indigenous food security initiatives like Dashmaawaan Bemaadzinjin (They Feed the People) and Indigenous Seniors Helping Seniors. It is in that spirit that I am happy to announce our participation, in collaboration with the CCFE and Chef Doris Fin, in the Seeds of Solidarity fundraising campaign in support of farmers in Sudan and Gaza. You can help by joining us for a beautiful Middle Eastern dinner on SUN Nov 2 showcasing locally-grown, sustainably-farmed ingredients, or you can donate directly to our fundraising effort.
So I close with a last, great big thanks — to everyone who has been part of The Dep's great adventure, to the First Peoples who share this beautiful, bountiful land with us, to all the people working away in every corner of our world to try and make it a better, cleaner, fairer, more hospitable place. Thank you, and I hope to see you around the table sometime soon. — LEN
Discover all the Interesting Food Things going on at The Depanneur in our latest newsletter:
Where Interesting Food Things happen — check it all out in this week's newsletter!
10/06/2025
FRI OCT 17- Taste the Legacy by Reena Rampersad & Shebeka Curling
A sophisticated dining experience crafted with thoughtful and precise cannabis infusions.
The menu is cannabis-optional; it is prepared with infused sauces served on the side for a total of 10mg spread across the whole meal.
The path toward cannabis legalization in Canada has been a long and difficult road. Join Reena Rampersad (High Society Supper Club) and Shebeka Curling (High N Hungry Catering), together with Mercari on the 7th anniversary of legalization for a culinary journey that ties ancestral traditions to the present moment, and looks hopefully towards a better future.
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TONIGHT'S MENU:
Avocado Wontons- The avocado wonton is a blend of Asian and Caribbean culture. Referred to as zabucas in Trinidad the olive oil based and spiced mixture is called a chokah. Paired with the Asian derived wonton this is a Heavenly match. Topped with traditional sweet chili and chadon beni sauce.
Oxtail Yam Tart- A buttery yam based pastry tart filled with birria slow braised oxtail topped with rich decadent oxtail gravy and crispy scallions. Oxtail became a staple in Caribbean cooking during the early days of enslavement when it was considered 'waste' and given by the oppressors as a main food source.
🌱 Vegan option: garlic butter mushroom and onion yam tart
Brown Butter Lobster Roll- Mini brioche with brussel slaw topped with brown butter lobster tail and garlic herb cream aioli. Inspired by Caribbean seafood dish flavours this is a different take on the traditional lobster roll.
🌱 Vegan option: brown butter artichoke rolls
Barbecue Chicken with Cornbread & Seasonal Vegetables- The fourth course is a soulful harmony of Caribbean roots and Southern comfort. Juicy barbecue chicken, marinated in a medley of island herbs and spices, is roasted to perfection and brushed with a smoky-sweet glaze. Paired with golden cornbread and vibrant seasonal vegetables, this dish pays homage to both backyard gatherings and Sunday family tables — a true celebration of flavour and community.
🌱 Vegan option: plantain & callaloo with coleslaw
Coconut Mango Lime Tres Leches Cake- Our finale is a tropical reimaginating of the classic tres leches. A soft sponge cake is soaked in a lush blend of coconut milk, mango purée, and a hint of zesty lime, creating layers of richness and brightness in every bite. Crowned with whipped cream and fresh fruit, this dessert is both refreshing and indulgent — a sweet closing note that honors Caribbean vibrancy and Latin tradition.
🌱 Vegan option: seasonal fruit with chocolate & sea salt
🌾 THIS THURSDAY- Dawn Woodward on Flour is Flavour
This Thursday, Dawn will talk a bit about practical concerns like how to incorporate local whole grains into your diet and how to troubleshoot baking with 'non-standard' flours, but also touch on some of the deeper issues of these essential ingredients, once considered the 'staff of life', which connect us to our farmers, land and history.
⭐ Signed copies of Dawn's book, Flour Is Flavour, will be available for purchase ($25)
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Dinner by Len Senater
Evelyn's Crackers & Bread
A selection of Dawn's rye bread and artisanal crackers made from local heritage grains, with a little fennel and local cold pressed sunflower oil. Served with butter, a selection of spreads, and crudité.
Ontario Grain "Risotto"
Local spelt or barley (depending on availability) prepared as creamy 'risotto' with miso, shiitake mushrooms and edamame, garnished with seared squid -or- king oyster mushroom (vegan) and a wheatgrass pesto. Served alongside sautéed Asian greens.
Selection of cookies
Dawn's homemade cookies, made with local heritage grains: Gingersnap, Chocolate chip, Oatmeal raisin, and Chocolate Ginger, and coffee or tea.
Join Chef Taylor Parker for an in-depth introduction to venison butchery. This hands-on workshop will cover the techniques and cuts for processing a whole deer, including primal cuts, specialty cuts, ground meat and sausage. Participants will take home generous, vacuum-sealed portions of the meats they prepared in class, along with notes and recipes.
Learn more on what to expect and book your seats on our website!
10/04/2025
THURS OCT 9- Dawn Woodward on Flour is Flavour
Dawn Woodward, owner and baker at Evelyn’s Crackers, is fascinated by the taste of grains which have not been ruthlessly standardized for the broadest possible utility. She recently published Flour Is Flavour, a charming work of practical advocacy for using a variety of locally-grown flours, from wheat and its kin like emmer, spelt, and einkorn to barley, rye, oats, and buckwheat.
"Flour is actually more than flavour. Flour is food and provides nourishment. Its aroma, colour, taste, and texture are visual and sensory expressions of how we treat the soil, our respect for the environment, and for each other."
Dawn will talk a bit about practical concerns like how to incorporate local whole grains into your diet and how to troubleshoot baking with 'non-standard' flours, but also touch on some of the deeper issues of these essential ingredients, once considered the 'staff of life', which connect us to our farmers, land and history.
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👉 Dinner by Len Senater
Evelyn's Crackers & Bread
A selection of Dawn's rye bread and artisanal crackers made from local heritage grains, with a little fennel and local cold pressed sunflower oil. Served with butter, a selection of spreads, and crudité.
Ontario Grain "Risotto"
Local spelt or barley (depending on availability) prepared as creamy 'risotto' with miso, shiitake mushrooms and edamame, garnished with seared squid -or- king oyster mushroom (vegan) and a wheatgrass pesto. Served alongside sautéed Asian greens.
Selection of cookies
Dawn's homemade cookies, made with local heritage grains: Gingersnap, Chocolate chip, Oatmeal raisin, and Chocolate Ginger, and coffee or tea.
⭐ Tickets are available on our website!
10/02/2025
SUN Oct 5 COOKING CLASS: Full-Day Breadmaking Intensive by Leo Baduria
Join artisanal baker Leo Baduria for a full-day, in-depth exploration of the fundamentals of great bread. You’ll learn how to make your own sourdough starter, and how to prepare different types of dough, using various grains and flours. There will be hands-on practice of the techniques to folding,...
10/02/2025
🍅 THIS SUNDAY
Roman Street Food by Erica Foffi
Step into the streets of Rome with Italian cook Erica Foffi and discover the simple, honest flavours that have been feeding the city for generations. These are the recipes you’d find in tiny neighbourhood shops, in the streets, or enjoyed standing at a busy market counter. This is food that tastes like home and tells a story with every bite.
In this hands-on class, you’ll master:
Supplì al telefono
Crispy rice croquettes with a molten mozzarella centre, so named for the long, stretchy cheese “telephone wires” that appear when you take a bite
Panzanella
A refreshing bread salad with tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and basil, the perfect way Romans turn day-old bread into summer perfection
Frittata di zucchini e menta
Baked with eggs, zucchini, and Parmigiano, a light, fragrant dish that’s a staple in Roman kitchens during the warm months.
Ciambelline al vino
Crunchy cookies made with wine and olive oil — the kind of rustic treat you might find at a countryside bakery, meant to be dipped in a glass of wine or coffee.
All dishes are vegetarian. Participants will work in pairs and small groups, and leave with recipes and full bellies.
The Deccan Canteen - A Love Letter to South Indian Home Cooking
Each course is designed to be vegetarian and vegan-inclusive, with alternatives that feel intentional rather than secondary. The meal will be plated sustainably, using banana leaves or areca palm plates, echoing the eco-conscious traditions of South Indian dining, and the couple’s shared passion for sustainability.
Between courses, guests will hear stories about the origins and rituals surrounding each dish — like why tamarind rice is served during temple festivals, or how rasam became the ultimate comfort food for generations.
🍲 TONIGHT'S MENU 🍲
Panakam పానకం | பானகம் (Spiced Jaggery Welcome Drink)
A cooling, lightly spiced drink of jaggery, cardamom, black pepper, and lemon — traditionally offered on festive ocassions.
Gongura Tofu గోంగూర టోఫు | (Roselle Leaf & Tofu Appetizer)
A tangy, fiery starter made with gongura (roselle leaves) , a signature green from Andhra kitchens — paired with crispy tofu for a vegan twist on a regional classic.
Mamidikaya Pappu మామిడికాయ పప్పు (Mango Lentils)
A tangy, creamy dal made with raw mango, tempered with crackling mustard seeds and red chilies, and served with steaming rice — the dish that signals the arrival of summer in Andhra households.
Pulihora పులిహోర (Tamarind & Mustard Rice)
A temple offering turned festive favourite. Tamarind pulp is simmered into a paste with jaggery, curry leaves, and spices, then folded into rice for a tangy, spiced bite.
Vankaya Kothimeera Karam వంకాయ కొత్తిమీర కారం (Eggplant in Cilantro-Spice Sauce)
A North Coastal Andhra favourite — smoky brinjals simmered with a bright green cilantro-based spice paste, creating a dish that is both fiery and herbaceous.
Vazhaka Podi வாழக்காய் பொடி (Raw Banana Spice Powder)
A fragrant dry powder of roasted lentils, and spices, sprinkled over fried raw bananas. Traditionally mixed with ghee or oil and rice — a nostalgic side dish for many Tamil homes.
Rasam ரசம் (Spiced Tomato Lentil Stew)
Peppery, garlicky, and restorative — this thin, soupy dish is sipped straight from a tumbler or eaten with rice.
Coconut Thogayal தேங்காய் தொகையல் (Coconut Chutney)
A thick, nutty paste of roasted coconut, lentils, and tamarind — South India’s answer to pesto.
Perugu Pachadi పెరుగు పచ్చడి (Cucumber Yogurt Side)
A cooling, creamy counterpoint to the spiced dishes, served chilled and seasoned with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Filter Coffee Cheesecake காபி சீஸ்கேக்
A creamy, indulgent finale infused with the bold, chicory-laced brew that defines a Madras morning — a sweet farewell that stays with you like the lingering aroma of fresh filter coffee.
A Year of Indigenous Food 🍂 Celebrating dinners with no menu
The eve of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation marks a auspicious time to reflect on The Depanneur's longstanding collaboration with Chef Taylor Parker, of the Mohawk Nation, Bear Clan, from Six Nations of the Grand River. Although we had been doing dinners together for many years, when I relaunched The Depanneur in 2024, I wanted to try and confront some of the myriad issues underlying the conspicuous absence of Indigenous food options in Toronto. At the urging of my colleague Neil Coletta, and with Taylor's blessing, we made the Indigenous Food Lab the only regular monthly event in our roster.
From a business perspective, it might not have been an obvious choice: would people be willing to pay $20 more than our regular events to attend a dinner without a menu? Would they understand that the extra cost was to try and make up the staggering difference in price between regular, store-bought ingredients and the wild and foraged ingredients needed to begin to close the gap between Indigenous and settler foodways? Would they understand that decision to not publish a menu was driven by a host of issues, from the philosophical to the political to the practical? Would they put their trust in a Chef without a restaurant to create a meal using ingredients many people had never even heard of, let alone ever tasted?
It was a leap of faith, a commitment to the importance of leaning into all the complex issues entangled in Indigenous food sovereignty and its role in moving us towards a reconciled future. It was a chance to support the rediscovery and reimagining of a relationship to our terroir nearly completely erased by centuries of colonial disregard and contempt.
We have since hosted more than a dozen Indigenous Food Lab dinners, and every one has sold out. We have been graced by attendance of Indigenous artists and elders. Through our Pay It Forward program we have raised thousands of dollars to support Indigenous food security initiatives in the city. And we have shared a lot of delicious food, served in the spirit of the Dish With One Spoon — that when we eat together we are connected, brought into relation with one another.
Next week we have a very special pair of events with Chef Taylor, a Venison butchery workshop where an intimate group of participants will work through the process of breaking down a whole deer hunted and gifted by members of the Six Nations community — an ancient, sacred and integral part of Indigenous culture. (Provided, of course, that the hunt proves successful; a timely reminder that nature is not a supermarket that simply stocks whatever you want whenever you want it!)
The following night is our October Indigenous Food Lab dinner, and there are only a handful of tickets left. I invite you to join us, to begin to discover what it actually tastes like to live in this particular, beautiful place in the world. And to Chef Taylor, and all those who would share the gift of those flavours with us, I say miigwech.
Where Interesting Food Things happen — check it all out in this week's newsletter!
09/29/2025
SAT OCT 11- Indigenous Food Lab by Chef Taylor Parker
The Depanneur is proud to host the Indigenous Food Lab, a new monthly residency with Chef Taylor Parker, the man behind The Dep’s acclaimed and subversive Canada Day Supper Clubs. It is designed as space to consider the possibilities of an elevated, communal dining experience rooted in First Nations traditions. It is a laboratory to explore and experiment with a Canadian concept of terroir – the flavour of a place — to rediscover and redefine what Indigenous food means today.
Chef Taylor’s sophisticated tasting menus celebrate local and foraged ingredients, and a deep connection to First Nations foodways, to our land and our shared heritage. Each meal showcases a range of wild ingredients native to Ontario. Weather, timing, season, and the caprice of Mother Nature will determine exactly what will be shared with us. Whatever comes to the table, you can be assured that it will be crafted with remarkable skill and creativity of a veteran fine-dining chef.
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Learn more about the things we do, or how you can get involved.
Founded in 2011 by Len Senater, The Dep is an ongoing, evolving experiment, prototype and proof-of-concept exploring food’s role in building community, creating opportunity and celebrating diversity. It has evolved over the years into a kind of convivial urban food hub where food producers, creators and consumers can connect and explore new food ideas in a fun, informal setting.
To find out more about The Dep, you can check out what others have written (like Spacing Magazine or Yonge Street Media), read some customer reviews (4.6 out of 5 stars!), or dig into my own slightly ranty manifesto.
In early 2016, the Dep extended an invitation to newly-arrived Syrian refugees who found themselves stuck in hotels for many weeks, with no access to kitchens to cook for themselves or their families. This blossomed into the wildly successful Newcomer Kitchen, a non-profit social enterprise that invites newcomer women to prepare and sell meals in a fun, social setting, while earning revenue through dignified, meaningful work.showcase for culinary talent in Toronto. The Dep is a versatile, multi-use space designed to host different kinds of informal food-related events, including Drop-In Dinners, Workshops & Supper Clubs. We also host a lively weekend brunch and offer commercial kitchen space for rent by the hour or the month. We're also the home of Newcomer Kitchen, an innovative new nonprofit social enterprise that provides a venue for Syrian refugee women to cook and sell meals.
Regularly scheduled activities
SUNDAYS & MONDAYS | Workshops 6:30–9pm
T.O. cooks share their skills and secrets
1st TUESDAYS | Table Talks 6–9pm
An informal culinary salon featuring guest speakers and a meal by Len Senater
WEDNESDAYS | Newcomer Kitchen 6–7pm
Syrian newcomer women prepare traditional meals for pickup or delivery.
THURSDAYS | Drop-In Dinners 6-9pm
“Open mic night” for culinary talent in Toronto!
FRIDAYS | Private Events
Host your own private culinary event for 12-24 people
SATURDAYS | Supper Club 7:30-10:30pm
Family-style dinner parties with guest cooks
SATURDAY & SUNDAYS | Brunch — 10am–2:30pm
Mazeh is an exciting new Levantine-inspired Brunch pop-up!
You can easily add your email to our mailing list to receive our weekly update, or check our Facebook events page to see what's coming up. Learn more about The Dep and how you can get involved on our website.
Hope to see you at The Dep!
—LEN
“One of the most exciting alternative restaurants in town”
