INTRODUCING ASSEMBLY: CANADA'S FIRST CHEF'S HALL MAKES ITS DEBUT

TORONTO, ON - After months of anticipation, Canada’s first Chef’s Hall will open its doors, unveiling an all day and night destination for food, drink and culture. Assembly Chef’s Hall will bring together seventeen of Toronto’s best chefs for an entirely new and unique food experience.

Food halls have been exploding around the globe for the past several years, driven by the rise of the foodie culture, chef-driven restaurants and the fast-casual service movement. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, there is a growing interest and awareness in fresh, local food that is spurring innovation in the sector.

"Assembly will transform Toronto's gastronomic landscape by bringing together seventeen acclaimed local chefs under one roof," says Andreas Antoniou, Developer and Principal of Assembly. "For a city that loves authentic food experiences, our design forward, fun and fully liquor licensed environment offers an unrivaled collection of Toronto's best."

Assembly is located at the Richmond-Adelaide Centre in the heart of downtown Toronto, where within two kilometres more than 500,000 people work, 19 hotels operate and more than 200,000 live. Boasting 18,000 square feet, 17 vendors, a sprawling beer hall, coffee bar and over 3,000 square feet of outdoor patio space, it is no surprise to see the quality of restaurants and chefs who will occupy the Chef’s Hall.

Led by executive chefs, baristas and culinary directors alike, the line-up includes second locations and new concepts from some of the city’s best. Toronto will enjoy spin-offs from the teams behind Bulldog Coffee, Cherry Street BBQ, DaiLo, Hibiscus, Khao San Road, Los Colibris & El Caballito, Love Chix, Nutbar, Ramen Isshin, Bar Reyna, Short & Sweet Bakeshop, The Good Son and Tokyo Smoke. Additionally, current and former chefs of The Chase & Colette, Raca Café & Ufficio, Little Anthony's and Shoushin are certain to impress with the launch of five new concepts within the space.

Each of the seventeen restaurants will serve up their signature dishes, day and night. Additionally, an eighteenth spot will serve as a rotational pop-up for local and visiting chefs to test new concepts.

While feeding the foodie culture is one piece of the puzzle, Assembly’s objective is to incubate concepts and support Toronto’s most talented independent chefs. Located on the ground floor of 111 Richmond Street West, the Chef’s Hall will be in the downtown core where, historically, astronomic costs have boxed independent chefs out.

"For more than 30 years, chain restaurants and fast food operators have boxed out local chefs from 'A' locations downtown with patio and PATH connections," says Antoniou. "Prohibitive rental rates, launch costs and development complexities made it virtually impossible for independent chefs to access the core. Assembly Chef’s Hall solves this problem and provides shared services so local chefs can focus on what really matters: food and service.”

For participating chefs at Assembly, the typical concerns that come with running a restaurant are minimized. The guiding principle is that when chefs don’t have to worry about front of house operation and administration, they are free to focus on what they do best, which is cooking great food and interacting with guests.

“Assembly has been curated to offer guests a wide range of best-in-class food and beverage, morning, noon and night. From whole lobsters to fried chicken to custom birthday cakes to vegan ice cream and everything in between, there is something for everyone to celebrate a great evening.”

Assembly officially opens its doors December, 2017.

ABOUT ASSEMBLY

Assembly Chef's Hall is where Toronto’s top chefs, restauranteurs and baristas will come together to feed the city. Located in the heart of downtown, this chef-driven community market will be the first of its kind in Canada and will offer upscale menus in a fast-casual setting. Patrons can expect to experience some of the city’s very best, including global cuisines from seventeen unique food and beverage vendors, along with a diverse range of craft beers and spirits. Assembly will be open daily, including weekends for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The 18,000-square foot space also includes a wine bar, massive beer hall and a sprawling outdoor patio.

Use Hashtag #EatResponsibly

Join our mailing list http://www.assemblychefshall.com