EPIC Restaurant, The Royal York Hotel, Toronto

The modern food story of EPIC began with a 17^th generation French Canadian who decided enough foreign wine was enough!  Serge Simard instituted (drum roll please) The Great Canadian Wine List, sourcing VQA wines from Canada before all others. He hauled staff into vineyards in both B.C. (Mission Hill) and Ontario (Chateau des Charmes) and showed them the essence of terroir.  Those blocks of land were harvested and bottled as the Fairmont private labels. Before he left the helm to become Fairmont’s Regional VP for Africa, his legacy was the corporation’s blessing on buying local food. No other North American hotel chain has had the courage to officially endorse the foods of their region.  It was an opportunity for team building of the finest order.

Enter Executive Chef David Garcelon (at right) who hails from New Brunswick and EPIC Chef Timothy Palmer who grew up in Winnipeg and when he decided that cooking was to be his career, attended the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary.  Chef Palmer took the long way ‘round to Toronto via Jasper, Australia and
Bermuda.

Between these two determined and creative chefs, the Fairmont Royal York has never had more local food and it’s at Epic that it’s showcased. Lake Huron whitefish, Cookstown greens, artisan cheeses. But the clincher is the honey harvested in hives on the hotel’s 14^th floor rooftop apiary. This honey finds it way into desserts like the in house made lavender flower (also grown on the roof) ice cream.  The hotel’s Director of Public Relations, Melanie Coates, has taken beekeeping courses and is now the official apiarist. It can’t get much more local, or personal, than that.  In fact, the honey was entered into competition at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and won third place in the Dark Honey category.

Food Day Canada Menu (from 2011)

Epic Chopped Salad    15

Niagara Apple, Ontario Cucumber, Crisp Romaine, Roast Garlic & Triple Crunch Vinaigrette Add Grilled Shrimp or Seared Chicken 5

Origin: Toronto, Ontario

Garden to Table Greens 15

Roof Top Lettuce, Tender Herbs, Niagara Cherry Vinaigrette, Gie Blue Crumble Add Grilled Shrimp or Seared Chicken 5

Origin: Toronto, Ontario

Thunder Romaine Salad 15

Creamy Caesar Dressing, Thunder Oak Goada, Lardons, Whole Wheat Crostini Add Grilled Shrimp or Seared Chicken 5

Origin: Thunder Bay, Ontario

Royal York Seafood Chowder 16

Maritime Salmon, Scallops and Shrimp, Fine Herbs

Origin: Woodbridge, Ontario

Chef’s Soup of the Day 11

“Sunday” Club 18

Roof Top Herb Marinated Chicken Breast, Niagara Vine Tomatoes, New Farm Bibb Lettuce, Grilled Pea Meal Bacon, Avocado Salsa Origin: Niagara, Ontario

Piled High Smoked Meat Sanwhich 21

Theut Pretzel Loaf, Kozlik’s Honey Dijon, House Made Dill Pickle

Origin: Toronto, Ontario

Peameal Bacon Eggs Benedict 19

Soft Poached Organic Eggs, Toasted Brioche, Hollandaise

Origin: Toronto, Ontario

Smoked Tout Eggs Benedict 21

Sous Vide Organic Eggs, Ontario Potato Latke, Cured Lemon Béarnaise Origin: Blue Mountain, Ontario

Two Eggs and Perth Pork Slab Bacon 20

Ontario Maple Shallot Glaze, Balderson’s 5 year Cheddar Biscuit, Organic Eggs, Cheddar Glasage Origin: Perth, Ontario

The Perfect Stack 17

Stacked Four High Buttermilk Pancakes, Royal York Blueberry Compote, Clotted Cream, Maple Syrup Or Rooftop Honey Origin: Toronto, Ontario

Banana Bread French Toast 17

Walnut Praline, Brûlée Banana, Warm Maple Drizzle, Clotted Cream

Origin: Woodbridge, Ontario

The Epic Burger 22

Braised Spring Creek Ranch Short Rib, Roof Top Herb Aioli, Onion Frites, Geai-Blue Cheese, Ontario Lettuce and Tomato

Origin: London, Ontario

Fresh From the Market Fruit 17

Rooftop Honey Ricotta or Organic Yogurt

Origin : Toronto

Chef’s Carvery       26

“AAA” ROASt PRime RiB Of Beef

EPIC’s own Yorkshire Pudding, Lyonnaise Potatoes, Heirloom Glazed Carrots, Rooftop Herb Jus

Origin: Cookstown, Ontario

EPIC Restaurant is one of about 300 restaurants that celebrate Food Day across Canada. Contact them at the number below to reserve a table.

EPIC Restaurant est l’un des 300 restaurants à travers tout le Canada qui participent au Journée des terroirs . Contactez EPIC directement, au numéro ci-dessous, afin de faire votre réservation.

Lobby level, The Fairmont Royal York Hotel
100 Front Street West
Toronto, Ontario M5J 1E3
T: 416 860 6949

http://www.epicrestaurant.ca

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