Quickfire With Chef André Rhoden
Get to know Chef André Rhoden, the owner and head chef of the private, in-home catering company, Tasty Solutions, as he shares his journey with us of turning his passion into his day job.
1. Why did you want to start Tasty Solutions?
I’ve been catering private dinners since 2011. I believe I started Tasty Solutions the next year as I sought to expand operations. We started in Montréal and moved to Toronto in 2016.
2. What was your first job in the culinary industry?
My first kitchen job was as a dishwasher in a nursing home. It was a fun job at the time. I eventually moved on to prepping and cooking there as well.
3. What is your flavour philosophy?
I enjoy delicate flavours. Bold but not too complex. I find it important to use flavours my clients are already familiar with and to be subtle with flavours that might be a bit adventurous.
4. One ingredient you can’t live without?
Thyme would be my favourite ingredient for sure. I just find it to be so versatile and can easily add flavour to elevate any dish.
5. A cooking utensil that’s always in your kitchen?
Tongs are for sure my go-to utensil in any kitchen. I do a lot of batch cooking in my line of work and I wouldn’t be able to get anything done without a few pairs of good tongs.
6. What’s your favourite style of cooking or type of food to cook?
I’m a simple guy. I like great quality ingredients and local if possible. Not over-seasoned or over-complex flavors. In most cases, less is more.
7. What’s your signature dish and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a signature dish. I find that concept to be a bit outdated. A healthy approach to food is to have a continuous evolution as a chef.
8. Go-to cooking technique and why?
If I had to choose I would say broiling for sure. I am a fan of direct heat, really giving ingredients some char or a bit of colour.
9. Most memorable event you’ve catered?
I’ve had a lot of memorable events throughout the years. The most memorable ones were pretty insane and I can’t mention what happened. Let’s just say, what happens at private events, stays there.
10. Most memorable client you’ve catered for?
I’ve had many memorable clients throughout the years. I’d hate to pick favorites. Too many great memories.
11. Worst memory as a chef/ caterer thus far?
I was catering an event on a private island. While we were preparing the food, we heard that the pontoon boat we were using had broken down. After our event, our staff and a few of the clients were forced to paddle our way back to the mainland. It wasn’t a horrible memory but it was certainly memorable.
12. If you had to choose just one, events or dinner parties?
Private dinner parties will always be my preference for sure. There is just something about catering in an intimate setting that I absolutely love. I get to spend more time with my clients and their guests, ensuring their night is a memorable one.
13. Go-to place for sourcing ingredients?
St. Lawrence Market has been a staple of mine for sourcing ingredients. I have developed relationships with various vendors throughout the years.
14. Where do you go to eat on your day off?
You can often find me in Chinatown on my days off. I like to frequent a lot of the local restaurants in this neighborhood like House of Gourmet, Dim Sum King and so many others.
15. You have worked in many restaurants over the span of your career, would you ever want to dive back into the restaurant industry?
Perhaps. It would have to be a special situation but I could be convinced to go back that route.
16. Your chef hero?
Chef Lynn Crawford has certainly been a hero of mine since I was young. I grew up watching her on television and always enjoyed her ways of cooking. I certainly believe she is one of the greatest chefs in the country.
17. What’s next for you as a chef?
I will certainly continue catering for a while. I also want to get in the space of doing pop -ups, and food festivals as well. Later down the road, a full restaurant concept. We will see where things go from there.
Head to Tasty Solutions Instagram to see Chef André’s past private dining and in-home catering experiences, cooking adventures, and more!