Dining
Insider Guide Chef Steven Molnar transports us from Mexico to Toronto
In keeping with the IBA conference’s transition from Mexico City to Toronto, we invited Steven Molnar, the chef – owner of Toronto’s beloved Michelin-Starred Mexican Restaurant, Quetzal , for an exclusive interview. As a Hungarian-Japanese chef and entrepreneur running a world-class Mexican restaurant in Canada, Molnar epitomizes the spirit of Toronto, where people are curious, respectful and proud to share in the many cultures that make up our city.
What makes Quetzal a remarkable dining destination? It’s a uniquely wood-fire restaurant with an open kitchen, so you can see all the fires from wherever you’re sitting in the restaurant. We have eight seats directly in front of the kitchen, where you're totally immersed. You get to interact with the cooks and me, and ask a lot of questions. It's really fun. We have a large à la carte menu, but we can also offer a tasting menu (with a lot of surprise courses) that is different for every single person How about drinks? We offer beverage pairings with our tasting menus. We’ll start people off with a cocktail. (Quetzal won the Michelin award last year for the best cocktail program in Toronto.) Then we pour really interesting things, not only wine, but also Japanese sake, French cider or sometimes even port – right in the middle of the tasting menu. It’s a really fun flow that goes well with the food. How did you develop your love and knowledge of Mexican cuisine? French cuisine was the foundation of my career. Then I started learning more about Spanish cuisine working at Quetzal’s sister restaurants Bar Raval and Bar Isabel. When
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