A food hall incubator supporting newcomers just opened in Toronto
Published April 9, 2024 at 1:26 pm
Toronto just got a new food hall, but it’s not like any other we’ve had before. At this new incubator space, newcomers to Canada are guided by mentors on their journey to become restaurateurs.
Simply called Food Hall TO, the new space contains five very different restaurant concepts, all run by people who are new to Canada and have big dreams of learning about building food businesses.
Over 20 per cent of racialized youth were unemployed in 2022, but 90 per cent of Canada’s private sector is made up of over one million small businesses that contribute about $1 billion to Canada’s GDP. With that in mind, Food Hall TO’s mission is to reduce poverty by increasing employment and fostering entrepreneurship.
“At Food Hall TO, we believe in the power of small business to eradicate poverty, increase food security and build resilient communities,” reads the hall’s website. “Our mission is to advance entrepreneurship through business incubation while decreasing food waste and encouraging healthy and responsible consumption and production.”
The five restaurants currently open at Food Hall TO are Spice Island, SubG, Burro Loco, Momo & Bao, and Just Curry.
Spice Island serves up Caribbean cuisine with classic options like jerk pork, BBQ chicken, patties and a traditional dish made with coconut milk called Oil Down. It’s run by student entrepreneur Patient Mbala from DR Congo, who was forced to flee to Canada in 2023 due to troubles in his country.
SubG specializes in vegan and vegetarian sub sandwiches made with ingredients like jackfruit and tofu. Student entrepreneurs Arun and Namrata are responsible for this one, immigrants from India who describe their journey to Canada as “a leap of faith.”
Burro Loco serves burritos, bowls, tacos and churros and is run by Suprasad, who is from Bangladesh. He’s seeking refuge and better opportunities here after facing threats to his family and his life that made him decide to leave his country.
Momo & Bao does just what it sounds like: steamy momo and bao influenced by the Himalayas and South Asia. Opt for chicken or veg momos in a tandoori, malai or Thai green style, or grab a Korean BBQ chicken or duck confit bao. Sylvester, also known as SK, started up Momo & Bao, and traces his love of food back to his childhood in a calm Nairobi village. Forced to flee as a refugee, he’s hoping to follow that passion for food here in Canada.
Just Curry is also what it sounds like, serving up curries as well as biryani, samosa and kathi rolls. Md Bilayet Hussain, or Bilal, runs this one. He sought refugee status in Canada in 2023 after fleeing political unrest and persecution in his home country of Bangladesh, where he had been an assistant accountant. With those dreams dashed, he hopes to rebuild through this project.
You can visit Food Hall TO at 5210 Yonge Street, or you can support the venture by ordering online. There’s also a button on their site where you can donate to the cause if you feeling like helping out even more.