Lifni Kalikutty is the Executive Chef at Contrada, but the path there started long before restaurants were even on his radar. He grew up watching his mother and sister cook, and that early exposure, mixed with a steady diet of Iron Chef Japan and Gordon Ramsay clips on TV, got him hooked on the idea of kitchen life. Reading Kitchen Confidential sealed it. He quit his day job and never looked back. Since then, he’s cooked at Cluny and Giulietta, two Toronto kitchens he credits with shaping how he cooks today, before coming on as opening sous chef at Contrada and eventually taking over as Executive Chef.
What first inspired you to become a chef, and how has your journey led you to Toronto?
I grew up watching my mother and sister cook quite often, so the urge to learn how to make delicious food started at a young age. Eventually, when my family got a TV, I stumbled across cooking shows like Iron Chef Japan and some random Gordon Ramsay clips. I have always thought that working in a kitchen with a bunch of friends was super cool, so when I finally read Kitchen Confidential, that’s when I was ready to give up my regular day-to-day job just to work in the industry. It was love at first burn from there.
Who were some of your biggest influences, either chefs or family, in shaping your approach to cooking?
My mother is easily the greatest influence for me as a chef. To me, she is the ultimate chef. She worked extremely hard to provide for the family and still had time to make us two meals a day with a big smile on her face. As a restaurant chef, my biggest influences come from working in the city. Every kitchen I worked in shaped the way I cook and my approach to food. Cluny felt like a family, and I made some excellent friends and mentors that I still keep in contact with to this day. Giulietta’s team also felt very influential to me, and I was really able to refine my approach to cooking there. Being a chef is like being a sponge; even if you end up in a kitchen you don’t enjoy, you still have to learn. Chances are someone has something they can teach you.
How does the food culture of Toronto influence your cooking style or menu choices?
I was working at Giulia at the time, and Patrick (Partner and GM of Contrada) called me and told me he and his two friends were opening up a restaurant, and he wanted me to be the opening sous chef. From there, I dropped everything to help this restaurant come to life. Mike Viera (opening head chef) and I worked pretty tirelessly to make sure this restaurant would become a place we could all take pride in, and it was definitely a journey. Mike and I had fairly similar philosophies with cooking at Contrada: use Italian techniques, make sure it’s delicious, and always ask ourselves, ‘How do we give it that little extra something special?’
What’s one local ingredient you can’t live without in your kitchen?
In peak Ontario summer, I love Welsh Brothers corn, heirloom tomatoes, peaches, and Ontario dairy as well. Another HUGE local ingredient is Linton Pasture Pork. I have never had pork as amazing as Jeffrey Linton’s. Jeff truly is an incredibly special farmer, and I know his hogs are very happy their entire lives… You can taste the joy. We are spoiled here in Ontario; we have access to some beautiful products here.
If someone was visiting Toronto for the first time, what food experience would you insist they try?
If someone was visiting Toronto for the first time and only had a day, I would recommend a trip down College Street. It’s my favourite street for food and drinks in Toronto. Start at Bar Isabel and end up at Quetzal. It’ll be ridiculously expensive, but you’ll end up having a great memory of the city
What restaurants, cafés, or hidden gems in Toronto do you personally love to eat at when you’re off-duty?
There are a lot of great restaurants in Toronto. If I had to pick off the top of my head right now, it would be Civil Liberties, The Wren, Suite 115, for bars. Giulietta, Lake Inez, Alma, Pho Linh, or MiMi Vietnamese, for food. And I’m not a big café guy, but the best café in the city for me is Café Belem; it’s right across from Contrada, and they’ve saved my life many times this year.
How do you think the dining scene in Toronto is different from other Canadian cities?
Toronto is a melting pot; there are a lot of cultures and cuisines being tossed around here, so the variety is great. Toronto’s hospitality scene is also an incredibly saturated market, so only the best get to last. It’s unfortunate, but with food costs being so high, I think this is the best time to be a diner in Toronto. Toronto chefs are really firing on all cylinders, and I think the food scene is so incredibly strong right now. It’s hard to have a bad bite in Toronto due to how competitive it is.
Where do you like to shop for ingredients locally — farmers’ markets, specialty shops, or a particular supplier?
As a Tamil chef, I will die on this hill. Bala’s supermarket in Parkdale is one of the greatest markets in all of Toronto. Going there feels like my childhood. I also really like Eataly’s butchery counter and produce section. When I have time to venture to Saint Lawrence Market, I will do that, it’s hard not to get inspired when you’re there.
Beyond food, what makes Toronto special to you as a place to live and work?
Toronto will always be a special city. The people are lovely; there’s always something fun happening wherever you go, and there will always be good food in every corner. The city is so inspiring. Feeling introspective? Go to the shore, sit by the water and just think. Hungry but not looking to spend too much? Go to the Danforth or Chinatown and get some cheap eats that will knock your socks off. Don’t know what to cook? Go to the Eataly butcher counter and just have a chat with those guys. You’ll end up having a great conversation and a great meal ahead of you. There is always something to do in Toronto. It’s a beautiful city.
What’s next for you and your restaurant here?
I have the strongest team I’ve ever had, I’ve never felt more inspired to cook, and my team is right there with me. The next move is to just keep cooking and make dishes I can truly be proud of. I want to get this place on the map, and that means putting my head down and hustling, and that is what I intend to do.
