On a warm Saturday afternoon, we venture over to Chef David Chow’s pop-up shop run out of his cousin’s The{Eat}ery shop, a gourmet grab-and-go (sandwiches, soups, pizzas, pastries etc) shop on University Avenue. We’re here to tape a video interview with this star chef and former Executive Pastry Chef at the former Trump Hotel .
As we walk into the shop, we are accosted by the sweet aroma of chocolate melting over the broiler top. My taste buds instantly awaken at the scent of warming chocolate. The shop is closed on Saturday, so it’s the perfect time for Chow to work on his chocolate creations for Cinco de Mayo.
Chow is immensely talented, having studied computer engineering at the University of Waterloo before discovering his passion for baking and creating. He later enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu school in Ottawa. His technical training in Engineering provides the backbone of working with precise and finicky deserts – like those recently made for the Easter holidays.
Chow started his career as a pastry chef at the Drake Hotel and then moved to the Bahamas to work at the luxurious Albany Resort co-owned by golf stars Tiger Woods and Ernie Els. Returning to Canada he landed at Trump Hotel as Executive Pastry Chef, where he refined his chocolate-making skills with Valrhona Chocolate. Chow loves the flavour profile of Valrhona and uses it as a base for all his chocolate treats.
Now 10 years later Chow is a major talent in Toronto’s culinary scene. Where does he get his inspiration for his artistic masterpieces? It could be something as simple as cooking dinner for friends; most recently, making tacos gave him the idea of creating a mole chocolate sauce for his Cinco de Mayo Mole Beans.
Tasting Chow’s puff’wich treats takes you back to childhood memories, precisely his intention. When you bite into the puff’wich its bursting full of flavour (passionfruit hazelnut praline with cake exteriors and covered in chocolate dip.The strawberry rhubarb shortbread with sweet cream melts in your mouth, light and sandy in texture and not too sweet.
Video:Chow making Cinco de Mayo Mole Beans
With Mother’s day coming up and custom orders are keeping this chocolate artist very busy. There’s no doubt in our minds that Chow will soon be the go-to chocolate artisan in Toronto.
More information about David H. Chow:
email: [email protected]
phone: (647) 352-7328
twitter / instagram: @davidhchow
Website: www.davidhchow.com
Current pop-up: the{eat}ery at 200 University Ave., Toronto (M to F: 7 to 5)
Pricing:
$1.75 Cookies
$2.50 puff’wich
$6.00 Goats Milk Thyme caramels
$7.50 Choc covered wasabi peas
$8.50 Assorted toffee
$9.50 Mole beans
Note: Products change each week.
