Talk of the Table: Celebrating Toronto’s Female Chefs
Written byIn this month’s Talk of the Table, we’re celebrating the upcoming International Women’s Day by highlighting some of the female restauranteurs that partner with UberEATS in Toronto. We sat down with Lisa Labute and the team from the Goods, Corinna Mozo of La Cubana, and Elia Herrara of Los Colibris to find out what inspires their cooking, the best piece of advice they’ve ever received, and more.
Corinna Mozo – La Cubana
Q: How did you get into cooking? Where did you learn the ropes?
Corinna: “I grew up in a family where hospitality and entertaining were a big part of our lives. Three years into university, I realized that reading cookbooks instead of the required French literature was my real passion, so I enrolled in the Stratford Chef School the following year. When it came time to find a restaurant job, I knew that I wanted to be working for a female chef, even back in 1989. I moved to Boston to work for Lydia Shire, who became my mentor.”
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Corinna: “I had the amazing opportunity as a young chef to sit beside Julia Child at her 80th birthday party. She told me that when cooking on the line, always look to your right and to your left to see what other cooks are doing so you not only master your own tasks, but theirs’ as well!”
La Cubana serves up authentic Cuban fare from two locations (Roncesvalles & Ossington).
Elia Herrera – Los Colibris
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Elia: “Stand up for your beliefs and never stop looking at that point where you want to be.”
Q: What advice would you give to a young woman interested in becoming a chef?
Elia: “I would say to keep focused and be persistent, strong, and humble. Always be honest with your food and competitive with yourself.”
Los Colibris is known for their upscale Mexican dishes inspired by Chef Elia’s native Veracruz.
Lisa Labute – the Goods
Q: What inspired you to open The Goods?
Lisa: “I spent most of my life unaware of the link between what I ate and how I felt. When I experienced the transformative power of plant food first hand, it blew my mind. The more organic, whole vegetables, I ate the better I felt. It healed me from the inside out at a time when I didn’t even know I was sick. I was compelled to share my experience, I needed everyone to know what I knew and from there the Goods was created.”
Q: Who are your female role models and why?
Lisa: “The women I’ve worked with in my kitchen over the years have been have been incredible. We gather in the kitchen, we prepare beautiful food we believe in, we hustle, and we talk about all things. Their desire for equality and inclusivity in our community shapes their opinions, ideas and choices. Full of love, they’re proud of their histories and support one another. Curious compassionate artists, musicians, writers, cooks and nurturers. These beautiful women are my inspiration, they teach me and help me remember who I am.”
the Goods is known for their incredible salads and energy-boosting smoothies.
Find these restaurants and over 150 more on the standalone UberEATS app