Thick cut, honey garlic brûléed brioche, smashed avocado, toasted walnuts, lemon vinaigrette, arugula, poached egg, Reggiano Parmigiano, pickled shallots. Do I have your attention? First bite of Honey Garlic Avo Toast. We look at each other knowingly and there is no need to speak. When the last shred of green and the last crumb has been devoured, we smile at each other and nod. Two dining cognoscente—in agreement that we had struck gold at Gateau Ghost.
Jayden Park arrived in Canada from Korea with big ideas for his future. In Montreal, he did a stage with Joe Beef. In Toronto, he worked and learned from a few of our star chefs at high end restaurants. During the pandemic, he baked Madeleines in his apartment, filled them with lush centers, and made it known they were available for delivery. Good food news travels fast. A French Madeleine is a shell shaped muffin that became the signature complimentary favor offered after every meal in every Daniel Boulud restaurant. Jayden has taken Madeleines to another dimension, making them double or triple size—and they blend perfectly into his repertoire.
From his little ghost kitchen, Gateau Ghost came to life and wrapped itself around the hearts and palates of a loyal and loving clientele. Gateau Ghost is a queer-founded, BIPOC-owned Korean-Parisian café and restaurant from founders Randall Papineau and Jayden Park. Its iconic café culture, and inventive dinner program is rooted in a deeply personal intersection of identity, design, and culinary craft. While doodling on paper to come up with a logo, a sketch of a halved Madeleine looked like a cartoon ghost. The Ghost sticker is on my fridge, peeking out from behind the handle.
Fusing Korean flavors with Parisian technique, Gateau Ghost brings an entirely new narrative to Toronto’s food scene. Lately, I have become a big fan of Korean fried chicken, listed wittily on the menu as KFC Sando, and it is crispy and crackly. It tastes of soy honey garlic. There is a crunch of shredded cabbage, pickles, house mayo, and an intense shake of parsley powder. (KFC never had it so good.) We have added a green salad to be virtuous rather than parmesan and herb tossed frites.
Surreptitious glances at the dishes on surrounding tables give me pause. Each dish sparkles with energy, and the generous servings of layers of lush brunch-y ingredients are eye-glazing and mouth-watering. Jayden Park is a “mentalist”, reading the minds and appetites of Millennials and reacting to the Sunday Brunch dreamers who have claimed GG as their own. In the long open kitchen, the faces of three young chefs work with concentration and precision, seemingly unaware of the admiration wafting toward them from the dining room.
Our perky server is genuinely happy to see that we’re enjoying each dish, since she has adeptly guided our choices. Left to our own devices, we might have ordered the entire delectable menu.
I am curious to see Jayden’s Parisian/Korean version of Steak & Frites. A 6-ounce Bavette has the texture of the finest Porterhouse, splashed with intense black pepper jus and partnered with the house herb-tossed frites. We could have added a sunny-side-up, but our better judgement prevailed.
See, this is Jayden’s skill. He knows all the rules very well. He can bend them, stretch them, condense them, and create his own signature in each dish. Here the signature is layers creating depth of flavor and texture, added in the correct order, like an intricate Lego set.
When the coffee is so perfect, I must have dessert. Sticky Madeleine Toffee Pudding is a shock to the senses, but in a good way. It shines with elusive flavors of dates, house-made English toffee, and comes wearing a cloud of white chocolate Chantilly cream. Rare, but true. I had a smile on my face for the remainder of the cold November day.
We pass through the café section in the front on the way out. Besides the showcase of Madeleines, people are casually enjoying coffee and a Madeleine. Summing up the mood, a young woman sits with her coat around her on the bench, holding her small sleeping dog in her lap, while she chats with friends and sips on her coffee.
Where will Jayden Park be in ten years’ time? Still at his pretty bistro in Toronto? Who knows? My crystal ball predicts a tightening up of style, and many local and international awards on the horizon. Meanwhile, I look forward to his Bibim Quinoa Bowl on a Sunday Brunch in the near future.
Gateau Ghost, 974 College Street, 647-398-9109