Celebrated Toronto chef opening new neighbourhood 'hot spot'
A Toronto chef who made his name working in one of the city's most celebrated kitchens is moving out on his own, opening a brand-new venture that he's posturing as a new neighbourhood "hot spot."
Though the name Justin Friedlich may not carry with it the same sort of household notoriety as that of other Toronto chefs (I'm looking at you, Matty Matheson), his work most certainly speaks for itself.
Justin has spent the past several years honing his craft in the kitchen at Buca Yorkville alongside executive chef Rob Gentile. Although it doesn't carry a Michelin recommendation like its original King West location, Buca Yorkville has remained a hot reservation in the city for over a decade.
Serving up refined Italian cuisine amid bright, airy interiors, Buca, in all its forms, remains among the top Italian restaurants in the city.
Now, Justin's going solo with a brand-new venture called Shay, a name that's seemingly an ode to his daughter.
The restaurant is moving in at 1055 Yonge Street, taking over the space most recently occupied by fast-casual health food restaurant, Freshii, in Rosedale, in good company with its neighbour, the Quail and Firkin and nearby hot spots like Manita's recently-opened sister location and Sorrel.
And a hot spot is exactly what Justin is after with Shay, captioning a "coming soon" Instagram post with "Rosedale's newest hot spot."
While the details of the restaurant's menu and design are under wraps for now, the restaurant proudly advertises an Italian-inspired menu and "world-class wine bar." If the bricks he's laid at Buca should provide any sort of preview, Shay will be nothing short of the hot spot it aims to be.
The exact opening date for Shay has yet to be announced ("great things are worth waiting for," another caption on Instagram reads), but the fact that the Instagram account is littered with promises that it's "coming soon" certainly bodes well.
