When the Maple Meets Masala — My Toronto Kitchen Story

 There’s a memory I revisit often: arriving in Toronto, suitcase in hand, heart full of ambition, and a pocketful of spice. I had left behind familiar smells — turmeric tumbling over my grandmother’s hands in Punjab — and found myself greeted instead by the gentle hum of this city, its skyline like a promise.

I’m Chef Peesh Chopra, and this is the story of how I found my flavour between maple trees and masala tins.

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The City That Welcomed Flavour

Toronto isn’t just a stopover. It became home. The neighbourhoods, the markets, the everyday hum of people rushing — laptops in backpacks, coffee in hand — it all felt like a stage for something new.

What struck me early on was the juxtaposition of cultures. On the same street, you’ll smell fresh naan from a Punjabi bakery and roasted plantains from a Caribbean stall. As a chef, that’s like being handed the world on a silver platter.

That’s when I realized — high ceilings and heavy machinery don’t define a kitchen. The willingness to listen does.

A Dish as a Meeting Place

Every dish I cook carries a little story.

Last week I made mustard-y halibut with maple glaze — Atlantic halibut caught off Nova Scotia, a light Canadian maple coat, and mustard seeds popping like old memories.

A friend from downtown Toronto said, “This tastes like home away from home.”

It made me wonder: What is home?

Is it where you were born, where you cook, or simply the place that lets you build something on your own terms?

For me, home is my kitchen — where maple meets masala, and traditions don’t get replaced — they get reimagined.

The Balancing Act: Tradition & Reinvention

I didn’t come here to dump garam masala on everything and call it “fusion.”
No — I came to respect the roots while speaking a new language through food.

That means honouring the tandoor-turning char from Ludhiana, but also leaning into Canadian produce: Ontario corn, Niagara peaches, local honey.

Once, I served daal with a microgreens salad from St. Lawrence Market — light lemon vinaigrette on top.

A guest said, “Chef, this feels like Toronto in a bowl.”

And I thought — yes, that’s exactly what I’m chasing.

Toronto Taught Me to Slow Down

In India, I learned to cook fast — lunch jobs, dinner rushes, sizzling woks.
But Toronto changed me.

Here, I learned the beauty of waiting —
The way butter melts on salmon,
The way a fresh pea shoot opens under steam,
The way a smile lands after the first bite — not because the plate glitters, but because it feels like something made with care.

This city moves fast, but it reminds you to pause — to taste deeply.

Why I Cook, and Why You Eat

Food is conversation without words.
It’s culture, risk, and comfort — all in one bite.

When I cook in Toronto, I don’t just make dishes. I make bridges.
Between memory and moment, between roots and routes.

So next time you walk through Kensington Market or the Harbourfront, and you catch a whiff of something cooking — pause.

Imagine the hands behind it, the story simmering in the pot.

Because here in this city, we cook to remember, we cook to explore, and yes — we cook to belong.

🥣 Recipe from My Toronto Kitchen

Maple-Mustard Halibut

Ingredients:

  • 2 halibut fillets (150g each)
  • 1 tbsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • Salt & cracked pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Warm olive oil in a skillet.
  2. Add mustard seeds — let them pop.
  3. Mix Dijon and maple syrup in a small bowl, brush over the fillets.
  4. Sear halibut for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and flaky.
  5. Drizzle with remaining glaze before serving.

Serve with lemon rice or a crisp salad — it’s simple, bold, and tastes like home.

From my kitchen in Toronto to yours — thank you for sharing the table.
— Chef Peesh Chopra

Originally published at https://medium.com/@chefpeeshchopra/ on November 5, 2025.

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