MartiniBoys.com
June 27, 2008

Hot Chefs: David Lee at Nota Bene

Though younger than many of the standard "established" chefs in the Toronto culinary scene, David Lee's reputation precedes him. Now Proprietor and Chef de Cuisine at Splendido, molding for a culinary legacy began at the precocious age of 17. Back in England, where Lee is from, he worked for Michelin rated Chef Peter Kromberg at Restaurant Le Soufflé in the Intercontinental Hotel in Hyde Park. Then, after working at the acclaimed Mosimann's in London for a short period of time, Lee was quickly promoted to sous-chef. Thus, when he moved to Canada at the ripe age of 24, he was already well-versed in the restaurant industry. Serving under Marc Thuet at Centro, Lee experienced a variety of cuisines in his travels to Napa Valley, Hong Kong, Italy, Madrid and France.

At 29, he partnered with Yannick Bigourdan to acquire Splendido, where he created a menu focused on displaying the best of Canadian ingredients, often employing his favoured sous-vide technique. While having made several lists for having one of the best, if not the best, restaurant in the city, (both for service-Bigourdan's specialty, and cuisine) the chef's status has been rising.

With a presence that suggests he is wise beyond his years, Lee is patient, though there seems to be madness going on in the kitchen. When I arrive, he is pickling pearl onions and candy striped beats for the new place, Nota Bene, set to open mid-July.

The new restaurant, I am told, will be an extension of Splendido in terms of its high level of service and quality, as well as continuing to source local grade ingredients. The cuisine, on the other hand, will be fun and casual- more accessible than that at Splendido, and without the expected two hour dining session. Put off with categorizing the cuisine, Lee says the restaurant will be Canadian Bistro Moderne (said with a French flare), with an Asian influence, and not strictly Canadian, nor Asian. Concerned with categorizing the cuisine, he settles on "very modern and contemporary," as a suitable non-ethnically identifiable title.

Whatever convoluted phrase one uses to describe the cuisine, what is definite is that the food will be straightforward. The Chef is careful to point out that there will be zero complication. So don't expect tiresome tapas, or sharing platters. Order your own dinner! Your dining companion would be as lucky as to taste what YOU decided you wanted to eat. The sequence of service will also be simpler. A routine of daily specials will feature approachable food. On any given Saturday, expect spare ribs and suckling pig tacos; while a chercuterie program means people can pop in before or after the theatre.

With some prime real estate as the locale (it will be located in the KPMB designed Canada Life Tower at Queen and University) expect a mix of a crowd. They'll be coming from all sides; the Financial District to the South, those living in the neighborhood to the West, the established clientele from Splendido to the North, and the opera house to the East.

Lee and Bigourdan are continuing their partnership at the new place. The third partner is Franco Prevedello. A long time restaurateur, Prevedello was the first person that Lee met going in through the back door at Centro. Initially finding him intimidating, and Godfather-like, who would think that years down the road, Prevedello would become a mentor, and the two would be partners.

Together, they form the team responsible for Nota Bene. But how did they decide to come together create this restaurant; did they all want the same things going into? With several offers for various places, which they in turn denied, they all knew they had the same vision, and wanted the same things. They had to. Lee provides the analogy: "In the cooking and restaurant industry, it is very important to all have the same vision. Take soccer. There are 11 team members, and they should all head in the right direction, with a clear vision." Here, they all knew that they wanted a relaxed version of the upscale places that they had worked in.

So with more than one place on the go, how does Lee perceive himself; as chef or businessman? Both, actually. There is the business approach because it is an investment. "At the end of the day, we all have bills to pay." But, "we must look after the guests, give them good quality, and have a great working environment. People must get good value." He explains that in reality, it is balance of being both a business and a labor of love; you need the right amount of each, and "you need to be smart." He uses the downtown core as an example where he thinks there are great nightclubs and restaurants which all have fancy décor, but the karma is in the front. He sees zero love in their food as their failing. At Nota Bene, he guarantees, it will be one of those restaurants which makes you feel and look good. "Karma is important."

In terms of the international food scene, Lee sees Toronto as once having been underrated, but now starting to gain the recognition it deserves. The many ethnicities of the city allow to a variety of cuisines, and thus a unique profile. Some of the places Lee sees as raising the bar in Toronto are Sushi Kaji and Foxley, for their fresh flavours. What I'm sure he admires in both of those places is that he sees a comparable level of passion to his for good quality and value.