A 'culinary artist' is a title I would bestow upon Luke Hayes-Alexander, executive chef of Luke's Gastronomy. This past week Luke and his family closed their doors to a restaurant like no other in the city of Kingston, to set upon new adventures in Toronto. With their last dinner service on January 7th, 2013, I took it upon myself to visit the restaurant for a second and last time to experience it on a more intimate level without distractions.
The warm atmosphere was accompanied with soothing but upbeat music and candles lit at each table. On a white canvas, each dish was simply plated with pleasant aromas. But oh my, the first dish of Sexy Noodles topped with a soft-cooked egg was the icing on the cake. As you gently ruptured the egg, yolk gently oozed out covering the cylindrical shaped noodles and into the sesame-ginger base. I really just wanted to pick up the noodles and dunk into the thick forming sauce. Though, I resorted to my fork and my lady-like manners took over just a tad as I twirled my noodles, slurping and took big gulps to devour the asian inspired dish.
Proceeded by dessert, I may have not known what the menu description meant but you only live once, so I gave it a shot and was surprised at every bite. Flavours infused into each component on the plate seemed to exude a popping sensation in my mouth. My taste buds were out of whack as they were unfamiliar to each savoury bite and even combined, the myriad of edible wonderfulness was pleasing. The hot and cold of the dessert was well played and unexpected which leads me to the following.
Luke's Gastronomy is not your typical dining establishment. You come with the expectation of mind blowing flavours, foreign textures and appreciation towards the artwork presented to you. Luke has true commitment to his craft shown through flavourful and innovative dishes. Aspiring to be a culinary artist from the age of 11, Luke is not your typical chef. He is a one man show in his kitchen; cooking, prepping, plating and everything in between.
Over the top ambiance and appeal is an aspect that is not highly important to Luke, as what lacks in space and decor, the food creations certainly make up for at the restaurant. Attracting foodies from out of town and country, some Kingstonians have walked by this quirky but small restaurant on Princess Street without notice, which is such a shame. At only 22 years of age, Luke rose in the ranks of the culinary world quickly with his bright mind and chef philosophy. The move to Toronto, brings new opportunities and perhaps a different approach to cooking. Rather than sticking to fine dining, Luke may branch out to street and comfort food, who knows the future will tell. With word of an underground supper club, lots of excitement and a fresh start are in the horizon for Luke.
Adieu for now.
In an intimate restaurant such as Luke's Gastronomy, discrete photographic indulgence is required and respect for fellow diners. For that reason the following pictures were captured using a Moto X instead of a bulky DSLR camera. Make sure to check back for a food photography etiquette blog post!
My accompanying friend enjoyed this dish:
Lentil, coconut, tomato, mango, curry, lassi, rasam, sambhar, rice, lime pickle.
{Fields of Jamnagar}
Sesame-ginger, soft-cooked egg, scallions.
{Sexy Noodles}
{Sexy Noodles}
Mandarin, bergamot, chocolate "truffle", jasmine, spiced pear, frankincense.
{Estrogen}
{Estrogen}
{Estrogen}
A neat but short documentary of Luke's passion for the kitchen.
All photos were taken with a Moto X courtesy of Rogers.
Visit www.lukechef.com for more information.
Enjoy!
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