CHEF DAVID ADJEY

David Adjey finds inspiration in many different and sometimes surprising sources…an architectural detail, a shimmer of evening sky, a whiff of perfume…or a pile of stones on the beach. An idea can start with a scrap and lead to a stellar new dish.

Design and nature are his first inspirations. “If I wasn't a chef, I would have been a florist”, says Adjey of the artistic drive that sends the freshest, juiciest flavours, most aromatic scents and spectacular arrangements floating out of his kitchen door. He's devoted to quality and craftsmanship… and his love of colour, taste and originality shine through every plate.

Constant change, travel and exposure to diverse masters, cultures and cuisine have given Adjey an insatiable taste for new and exciting ways to appreciate food and it's presentation. Part of that appreciation expresses itself in the way he values the basic elements of each ingredient and builds an exciting, completely new creation for his ever-evolving sensual repertoire.

With the observation of an artist, Adjey views everything as a sum of its parts… a good painting as a collection of expertly-placed pigments; a car as a pile of parts ingeniously crafted to work together and take us places; a book a jumble of alphabet letters carefully untangled and chosen to inform or inspire. For Adjey, the creation of a new dish is to collect a series of elements – taste, colour, texture and aroma – and to combine and transform the parts into an always greater, delicious new sum.

He simplifies the complex, makes sense of the many layers involved in a single dish, and always resists the idea of throwing in an auto part just to mix things up. To the professional cook, or the aspiring kitchen connoisseur, Adjey's ideas and descriptions are very simple to follow – even when it looks or sounds really complicated.

History

Just look at the history, you'll get the idea.

His apprenticeship to Dante Rota, of Toronto 's once-legendary Orso and Noodles, launched his trajectory to the ranks of the top masters. Next he worked under the tutelage of Richard Krause who opened the doors of his restaurants, Melrose and Rose Café to Adjey's creativity.

Adjey was subsequently honored with an invitation to assist the famous chef and cookbook author Guiliano Bugialli in Florence, Italy, where he further developed his love of cooking, artful style and inventive presentations.

Jay Leno, for one, who quickly invited him to The Tonight Show and helped catapult him into the limelight.

The new toast of the town from New York to L.A., Adjey appeared on the Food Network's Ready, Set, Cook, was acclaimed as the “Best Chef in California ” by the celebrated Frommer's guide and lavished his talent on celebrities in the role of personal chef (Dan Aykroyd).

David's most recent venture is David Adjey Cuisine Inc as well as opening 3 new restaurants in the Greater Toronto area. Look for further announcements on the website.