ANTHONY WALSH

Prior to his appointment to O&B’s Corporate Executive Chef, Chef Walsh served as Executive Chef for the iconic Canadian restaurant Canoe. There, his leadership, unrivaled culinary craftsmanship and visionary sense for haute Canadian cuisine played a vital role in the restaurant’s meteoric ascent on the country’s fine dining scene. Quickly recognized by media, foodies and the culinary world, the restaurant earned four stars in Toronto Life magazine, was named Best New Restaurant by The Globe and Mail and Where Toronto magazine, and ranked #3 in Gourmet magazine’s list of Top Tables.

Prior to joining O&B, Chef Walsh opened JAW, a boutique restaurant in Toronto’s Queen West neighbourhood, which received unanimous critical acclaim for its inspired fresh market cuisine and frequently changing menu. It was his work at JAW that caught the attention of local restaurateurs, Peter Oliver and Michael Bonacini, who then brought Chef Walsh onto the O&B team in 1996.

Over the course of his career, Chef Walsh has won critical acclaim by national and international media and has received numerous awards, including gold medals from Taste of Canada, Black Box, Salon Culinaire and the Ontario Hostelry Institute. He has been a featured guest chef at James Beard House, and has cooked for a number of notable dignitaries, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Brian Mulroney, U.S. President George Bush, and Princess Diana. In 2016, he was named Chef of the Year by Foodservice & Hospitality Magazine as well as one of Toronto Life’s Most Influential People.

For Chef Walsh, defining Canadian food and elevating it to the world stage is not only a top priority, but a passion.

BINIT PANDEY

Chef Binit Pandey understood the power of food even as a child, witnessing the joy and comfort that his mother’s cooking brought to friends and family. In all their moments of togetherness, food was at the centre. Though he pursued hotel management at first, the kitchen always called to him because he wanted to replicate the magical experiences his mother created for others.

Over 15 years, Chef Binit developed a unique global take on cuisine while working across India, Germany and Qatar. Indian hotels presented a range of cooking challenges, from European and Chinese fine dining to the country’s first organic restaurant. He was invited to cook Indian food at Germany’s Le Noir, a two-Michelin-star restaurant, before moving to Qatar to work in hotel dining and events.

Back in Canada, Chef Binit’s penchant for globally inspired food drew him to Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill, Yonge & Front. There, he explored flavours from all over the world, developing a diverse menu of delectable dishes that became much-loved by Toronto’s downtown crowd.

Now the Executive Chef at Aera, he is eager to flex his culinary skills for Toronto’s King West neighbourhood, blending his fine dining prowess with a passion for comfort food to remind us just how special dining out can be — especially at 38 stories up.