Tonight is the Raptors’ first game of the season and after their epic win in June fans are excited to see the NBA champions raise the franchise’s first title banner to the rafters. It’ll be a historic night, that’s for sure.
For 25 years, Toronto Raptors fans have watched the season opener with eager anticipation. In the early years, the hope was to win enough games to garner legitimacy.
And then, once the Vince Carter era began, fans began to crave playoff berths. Some might have even dreamed of making the finals back then. But tonight is different. Tonight the Raptors begin the season as NBA champions, and the city is as excited as it’s ever been to start a sports season.
Toronto always loved the Raptors, but something changed during their championship run last spring. The team became a part of the city’s DNA — and there are signs of it all around town.
Perhaps the most obvious and important marker of the city’s love for the Raptors will be revealed as part of pre-game celebrations tonight. Mayor John Tory will formally unveil signs for Raptors Way, the ceremonially renamed portion of Bremner Boulevard between York Street and Lakeshore Boulevard West.
Beyond the ceremonial street name, other evidence of our collective love for the Raptors has been stamped on the urban fabric of Toronto. Peace to the Past, Reach for the Future is an 18-foot (5.5 metre) sculpture honouring the team by artists Esmaa Mohoamoud and Bryan Espiritu. Originally displayed at this year’s Nuit Blanche, it has now been relocated to Jurassic Park during the Tailgate Party.
Artists Luvsumone and Javid_Jah were inspired by the city’s incredible energy during the Eastern Conference Finals and responded by creating a mural in honour of athlete with the most impactful one-year tenure in the history of Toronto sports, Kawhi Leonard.
Commissioned by Forever Young Inc Tattoos and funded by the City of Toronto, this mural of Kawhi by artists Kyle and Will is now a fixture on Queen Street West.
Under the Welcome Toronto program, Drake and The Raptors donated $1 million to refurbish 12 community basketball courts over the next two years. They have already completed four: Femingdon, Matty Eckler, Thistletown and Malvern.
Bamboo Tattoo commissioned artist Paul Glyn Williams to commemorate the championship with a mural of Drake in a Raptors Jersey and the words: “If you’re reading this the Raptors made history.”
And, of course, the CN tower will pay homage to the team tonight by lighting up in Raptors red. The game starts at 8 p.m. You won’t want to miss it.
For seven nights only, Kyoto-based chef RyusukeNakagawa will take over the kitchen at Miku restaurant in Toronto. His 15-course dinner menu showcases seasonal ingredients, artistic plating, textures, and temperatures all incorporated into his contemporary take on the traditional Japanese dinner of Kyo-Kaiseki (or Kaiseki).
Chef Nakagawa is no newcomer to the Kaiseki scene, before coming to Toronto he studied under Michelin-starred chef Yoshihiro Murata while working at his three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Kyoto, Japan.
For a limited time, chef Nakagawa brings his 15 years of experience to Miku’s Kaisen Bar, located in the middle of the restaurant. Only six seatings take place per evening at the counter. Five chefs, including chef Nakagawa, masterfully assemble and plate course-after-course in an open kitchen, no bigger than a double walk-in closet.
THE FOOD
The Kaiseki dinner is set in Omakase style — the Japanese tradition of giving the chef full creative freedom to choose your order. Picky eaters, this isn’t for you.
Guests will find dashi throughout many of the courses. The strong umami flavoured broth is a traditional Japanese cooking stock most commonly known as the base for miso soup. Chef Nakagawa has mastered the skill of balancing the dashi flavour, not only on the individual plates, but across the entire menu.
Soy-dashi ō-toro EdoPrime nigiri comes out first and is essentially next-level nigiri. No soy sauce, ginger, wasabi or chopsticks on the side. Enjoy this dish by hand.
The chef’s uni has a lot going on. This dish comes complete with oyster mousse and kohlrabi. There is the expected creaminess of the fresh uni, and then the acidic, yet sweet flavour from the red shiso dashi and the akazu shari.
The lobster tempura is deep-fried and battered, but still comes across as light, fresh and firm. The tempura sits on a bed of yuba and miso kelp cream, covered in matcha crisps and a proper shaving of black truffle.
Hamo owan is an eel clam soup with a matsutake mushroom. The hamo serves its purpose for texture, but the broth is the star of this Kaiseki dish.
The sous-vide Miyazaki wagyu (Miyazakigyu) tenderloin comes with three optional pastes: black garlic miso, wasabi and roasted apples. It’s best to leave the pastes as decoration, as it’s perfect on its own or with a little rock salt.
Dashi poached kuruma-ebi EdoPrime nigiri is a Japanese tiger prawn. It is expertly filleted, brushed with miso soy, lemon oil, layered with okra gelée and a dusting of prawn powder.
Wasanbon ice cream is made with a fine-grained Japanese sugar, and is less sweet than a traditional powdered sugar. On the side is a black sugar, jelly-like dome to pour over the ice cream. It tastes similar to molasses, but thinner and milder.
To celebrate its fourth anniversary, Miku has designed an additional Anniversary Kaiseki tasting available until the end of the month. This menu features confit Wagyu short ribs, Miku’s signature aburi sushi, octopus carpaccio and so much more. There’s an optional sake pairing to complete the experience as well.
If you’re on the market to splurge, the Kyo-Kaiseki experience is certainly worth it. But if you’re looking for a multi-course, limited-time experience with a more sensible price tag, go for the Anniversary Kaiseki. Both tastings will impress your tastebuds and leave you in a mini food coma.
The Kyo-Kaiseki experience is open now until Oct. 25, but don’t worry if you can’t make it, the Anniversary Kaiseki is on until the end of the month.
The three-storey, three-bedroom detached house at 106 Belmont St. is a rare breed. The relatively recent build lives on a narrow street lined with century homes in the northern fringes of the posh Yorkville neighbourhood.
The 2,500-square-foot home was completed in 2003, and after the current owners purchased it in 2016, they had it totally gutted. The reno cost nearly $800,000. Not much remains of the original space, except for the bones of the build. Now, it’s available to rent for $13,000 a month, and the owners have also listed it for sale at $4.2 million. The home can come with furnishings or without, for sale or for rent.
The herringbone wood floors took more than a month to install, with each piece cut by hand. The classic pattern adds an element of texture to each room.
The main floor is open concept and features a fireplace and breakfast nook.
Sebastian Clovis is a licensed contractor, HGTV Canada star and former professional football player who won the Grey Cup in 2006. He is also a spokesperson for DAZN’s ‘The New Home of Football’ campaign.
It’s been an exciting year for sports in Canada. We’ve had the summer to bask in the glory of the Raptors championship and the amazing feats of Bianca Andreescu, but as the weather gets chillier it can only mean one thing: fall sports.
With the NFL already underway and the NHL and NBA both gearing up, now is the perfect time for Canadian sports fans to consider the ultimate home renovation project: creating a fan cave.
A fan cave is a sports oasis where sports aficionados can enjoy every game in the comfort of their home. I’ve put together some of my top tips for creating the ultimate fan zone.
Small changes make a big difference
Whether you’re looking to do a full renovation or just update an existing space, the small touches are what will make the space perfect. Peel and stick wallpaper and decals allow fans to bring their team logos into their fan caves in various sizes. The best part is they’re removable, so they can be switched up or taken down easily. Decor items like team-coloured throw pillows, rugs and cabinetry hardware are small details that will really tie your fan cave together. Also, consider putting a coat of dry erase paint on one of your walls so you can keep track of scores and how you’re doing in your fantasy pool.
Recycle and upcycle
“One person’s trash is another person’s treasure” is a saying for a reason. Thrift stores are great places to find really nice wood coffee tables and dining tables that really just need to be re-stained or given a fresh coat of paint. Keep a lookout for chairs that can be reupholstered easily, maybe with fabric that features your favourite team’s logo. Also keep an eye out for sports memorabilia and apparel at thrift stores such as vintage jerseys and team T-shirts that can be framed. I always stumble upon something cool.
Get comfy, stay calm
You’re going to be spending a lot of time in your fan cave hosting friends and team rivals, so your seating is one thing I would focus the budget on. Fans go through many emotions during a single game. The ups and the downs are the reason I always suggest getting leather furniture — so when your team scores and you throw your beer up in the air out of excitement, you can easily clean it up after. For the lows that are bound to be felt, why not have a massage chair recliner on hand so you can work out those stress knots in your neck while your team is down a couple of points. Not to mention those days of back-to-back games or double OT, you’re going to be sitting in those chairs for hours at a time.
Multiple games, multiple screens
I can’t stress enough how important it is to have multiple screens in your fan cave. This way you never have to miss a second of any game. They don’t all need to be TV screens either — you can have a projector connected to your laptop or a couple of tablets and your smartphone on hand to make sure your fingers are on the pulse of all the action. Surround sound with a subwoofer will give you that in-game experience, making it feel like you’re among the roaring crowd. Having the ability to watch multiple games at a time with bone-shaking sound is the reason your fan cave will be the spot where your friends and family will want to catch all the action.
Navigating the city’s hot restaurant scene can be a competitive and sometimes stressful process, marked by long line-ups and even longer wait times. The hunt for the perfect table, at the perfect restaurant can be made all the more difficult when first-come, first-served policies are thrown into the mix. So with that in mind, we put together a list of tricks for landing a table at hot restaurants where reservations aren’t a thing.
5. Famiglia Baldassarre
With over 27 traditional handmade styles, Famiglia Baldassarre primarily produces pasta for some of Toronto’s top restaurants. But from Tuesday to Friday, from noon to 2 p.m., Famiglia offers a dine-in menu. Wait times typically average about 30 minutes, but on Tuesday’s you can often snag a seat right away. 122 Geary Ave.
4. Sugo
What do you get when you combine a lively ambiance, affordable prices and quality pasta dishes? You get Sugo, Bloordale Village’s much-loved Italian restaurant; but you also get constant line-ups out the door. With a menu that includes overflowing bowls of spaghetti, fist-sized meatballs and layered deli sandwiches, the restaurant’s long wait is just a chance to work up the serious appetite you’ll need for your meal. The wait system is low-tech, with servers scribbling names on a notepad. Arrive early, put your name down and enjoy the hustle-and-bustle. 1281 Bloor St. W.
3. Bar Vendetta
Jen Agg’s new pasta and wine bar concept quietly launched in the former Black Hoof space in mid-September. Bar Vendetta is only open from Sunday to Thursday, and tables are “first-come, first-served.” Fortunately, Bar Vendetta’s low-key launch means minimal line-ups currently, but expect that to change. 928 Dundas St W.
Hot hot tofu at Hanmoto
2. Hanmoto
It’s easy-to-miss Leemo Han’s Japanese-American restaurant Hanmoto, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy seat to snag. Rarely will you have a problem getting a walk-in-only spot on weeknights, but if you’re fiending those izakaya-style vibes on a Friday or Saturday, you’ll likely need to wait in line if you arrive after 7 p.m. 2 Lakeview Ave.
1. Bar Raval
Grant van Gameren’s atmospheric tapas bar is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the stomach, known for its dramatic, Gaudi-esque curving architecture. Head to Bar Raval for stellar Spanish small plates paired with a great list of wines and cocktails. Get there as early as you can and be prepared to walk up College and grab a drink somewhere while you wait. It’s often standing-room only inside, so it’s best to embrace the bustling vibes rather than hoping for that perfect table. 505 College St.
It seems that all of Toronto’s biggest culinary names are hopping on the plant-based bandwagon. From Grant van Gameren’s Rosalinda, to chef David Lee’s Planta Queen, it was only a matter of time before Top Chef Canada contestant, chef Elia Herrera got in on the action.
LosCo Vegan opened on Oct. 16 and is the newest project from the trailblazing female chef. This is Herrera’s second venture in Assembly Chef’s Hall, Adelaide’s fine dining food court with stalls from some of the city’s best restaurants like DaiLo, Khao San Road and The Good Son.
This Mexican-inspired spot is a little different than Herrera’s previous projects. Using inspiration from her Mexican heritage, this restaurant draws on Central American flavours and ingredients, while incorporating new techniques and preparations better suited for plant-based cuisine.
Chef Elia Herrera
LosCo Vegan is serving a selection of vegan dishes that differ from the taco-focussed menu at Colibri or the traditional Mexican menu at her now closed, Los Colibris. LosCo will serve all-day breakfast. But instead of meat-heavy dishes like the chorizo — which was made with scrambled eggs, refried beans, two quesadillas and Mexican sausage — Herrera will be focussing on healthier alternatives and more ingredient-driven items, like young coconut ceviche, acai bowls and coconut chia bowls.
This new project is also bringing Herrera back to her roots as a pastry chef. LosCo will feature a collection of sought-after baked goods, including an all-vegan churro twist, that’s sure to have people lining up.
Visit this new spot in Assembly Chefs Hall at 111 Richmond St. and follow along for more info and new menu items at @loscovegan.
The Flickdoesn’t set up as a blockbuster of a play. It is more than three hours of staring at the back of a movie theatre as the somewhat mundane lives of three cinema employees spill out on stage. But it works, for the most part. It is sparse, human and, at times, quite moving.
The Flick, directed by Mitchell Cushman, follows the lives of three employees at an old-school cinema: two ushers and a projectionist — millennials currently dealing with a range of issues that are not uncommon and include depression, sexual dysfunction, limited career prospects and good, old-fashioned angst.
With the addition of a slew of film references that would impress even the most astute of movie buffs, the play has charm.
The theatre is set up so that one bank of seats for patrons is directly opposite the stage, which is essentially another bank of seats arranged to look identical to the back of a theatre including the red velveteen chairs, the running lights along the aisles and the projection booth on the back wall.
As the play opens, a solitary usher, Sam (Colin Doyle), begins sweeping up popcorn and other assorted garbage after the movie finishes. Sam is the oldest of the three characters in his mid-30s and the veteran of the cinema. He is soon joined by Avery (Durae McFarlane), a 20-year-old Black college student on a break from school who displays an encyclopedic knowledge of films. The third employee is Rose (Amy Keating), the rather crude and outgoing projectionist who got promoted ahead of lacklustre Sam.
Sam adores Rose. Rose is taken with the new kid, Avery. And so it goes.
Told through snippets of time as the house lights turn on and off over the course of the three-plus-hour production, the characters reveal their inner-workings. Rose is unable to be happy in a relationship. Sam still lives with his parents and is going nowhere fast. Avery’s mother left his father. He’s lonely and has long-running issues with depression that make it very difficult for him to make friends.
What is remarkable about the play is how accurately it depicts the ennui of a dead-end job, the odd friendships that aren’t really friendships at all that develop in order for people to make it through to the end of the next shift. In addition, The Flick is very accurate in its portrayal of movie theatre life. As someone who spent a couple of memorable teenage years working at one, rest assured this play nails it. Even the ticket scam is spot-on. ’Nuff said.
The story moves slowly forward with fairly standard odd sexual interactions, frank discussions, gossip and petty jealousies as the genuinely awkward relationships reach an inevitable conclusion: collapse.
The collapse takes the form of Avery being busted for scamming tickets by the new theatre owner, who is also planning to move from analog to digital. A double-whammy for the film lover Avery, who rails against digital with all his might. Worst still, his two co-fraudsters who initiated him into the scam with some serious peer pressure, end up letting him take the fall alone.
It’s a play that is easy for audiences to identify with. The characters are quirky and endearing but ultimately fairly ordinary. The acting is very good and generates a good deal of empathy and connection, almost surprisingly so. Indeed, Cushman manages to coax out some very fine performances from the young actors.
The work does seem unnecessarily long and as a result, drags in spots. At one point, I just wanted to get up on stage and sweep up the popcorn myself. The way the story unfolds is a double-edged sword as it helps propel the story forward but there are times I had hoped to find out more about a particular point or two.
There are no great questions asked, and no great questions answered. Ultimately, like these jobs, these moments in our everyday lives, this play is forgettable. Maybe that’s the point. That every life, every story, deserves attention and examination. Every life has meaning and has something to offer no matter the mundane circumstances.
Jeremy Abrams and Gail Simmons with their kids Kole and Dahlia
Gail Simmons is one of the biggest foodies to come out of Toronto. She was a judge on Top Chef, authored two books, has a monthly column in Food & Wine magazine and is now hosting Iron Chef Canada, which airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Food Network Canada. Two decades ago, she left Toronto to pursue culinary school in New York City, and that’s where she met her husband Jeremy Abrams. Here is their story.
How they met
We’re both Canadian, and when I first moved to New York, we wereboth part of this group of expats who all moved here for different reasons. In this big group of friends, everyone had different connections, but Jeremy was in this group because he had gone to Western University with my N.Y.C. roommate and summer camp with my high school friend. At the time, we were both dating other people, but we formed a great friendship and were friends for about one year. Eventually we started looking at each other differently, realized that we were attracted to each other and started dating.
The first date
I was invited to the opening party for a very big, trendy New York restaurant, and I invited Jeremy to come with me. We were about to leave, but the Stanley Cup finals just happened that night, and the New Jersey Devils had won that year. We heard the team was upstairs at the bar celebrating their win, so we went to scope it out. Not only were all the New Jersey Devils there, but the Stanley Cup itself was sitting in the middle of the room. We started talking to all of them, and they poured champagne in the Stanley Cup. They passed it around, and we were all holding it and cheering for them as they drank from the cup. I remember thinking, “I am Canadian and the Stanley Cup is in front of me. I will drink from it!” It is the holy grail of Canada — how could I not? Even to this day, Jeremy and I talk about that night all the time. The Stanley Cup brought us together.
The proposal
It was August of 2007, and I had been filming Top Chef and travelling for Food & Wine magazine. I was in California for a food festival for a week, and when I returned home, I was so exhausted and jet-lagged, I went to bed without even washing my face. I woke up the next morning, and Jeremy was already awake with his eyes wide open, just waiting for me to wake up. He looked at me and started talking, and I was so tired I couldn’t register exactly what he was saying. Somehow through my fog I heard him say, “Will you marry me?” and the ring was under the pillow. I said “Of course!” and started crying, mascara running down my face. There was a knock on the door, and a florist appeared with vases full of beautiful dahlias. They were in season and my favourite flower. There was also a delivery from one of our favourite restaurants. A chef from our neighbourhood sent us brunch with all these dishes that my husband knew I loved. We laid them on the floor and had a huge picnic.
The wedding
We got married on Aug. 17, 2008, at a place called the Foundry in Long Island City, just over the Queensboro Bridge in N.Y.C. It was the perfect August day with the sun shining. We got married outside in a gorgeous landscaped garden, and all the flowers at the wedding were dahlias. It was a beautiful, communal, fun and casual wedding with so many beloved family members and friends. The week after, we spent some time in Montauk, on the east end of Long Island, to decompress. In November, we went on a three-week honeymoon to Vietnam and Japan.
Balancing careers and marriage
It’s hard work, especially with two children in the mix! It’s just about making each other laugh, knowing that we have built a really great life together and finding humour in everything. We are each other’s home no matter where we are in the world, and our family unit is the most important thing. I work and travel a lot and so does my husband. He built a company over the last 12 years, and I am proud of what he’s done. We take every challenge as an adventure.
You could say the skinny-yet-spacious Victorian house at 426 Ontario St. has been a work in progress. Over the past decade or so, the Cabbagetown home has been undergoing a painstaking renovation and restoration.
The heritage home was built in 1880 (it even has a plaque to prove it) and the owners made sure many of its original period features were maintained.
The owners, a young couple, renovated the home as a labour of love. They recently moved to midtown so they could be closer to school for their three kids, and about a month ago decided to list the house for rent at $8,000 a month.
The main floor living room exudes character with hardwood flooring, original stained glass and a fireplace.
There’s a bright, open-concept kitchen.
A mudroom now sits where the breezeway used to be.
Contractors also knocked out the family room’s back wall, replacing it with floor-to-ceiling glass panels that open onto the backyard.
The home has three bedrooms upstairs. This one has a kid-friendly accent wall:
It also has lots of built-in closet space.
The master bedroom overlooks the backyard.
And it’s en suite bathroom comes with a pretty large soaker tub.
The third bedroom overlooks the front of the house, and comes with vaulted ceilings.
The backyard is the real showstopper.
It comes complete with a Sonos system, outdoor projection theatre, swing and a kids’ climbing wall.
The luxury rental is listed with Leslie Lyons of Johnston & Daniel Division, Royal LePage Ltd. Brokerage.
Meet the most dynamic and innovative young people in Toronto. For part one, we got to know the star athletes and change-making activists in our city. In part two, we take a look at the tech wunderkinds, a chef on the rise, and artists ranging from actors to musicians and more. From the world’s youngest IBM Watson Programmer to the star of Mindy Kaling’s hotly anticipated new Netflix series, these youngsters are the best and brightest that Gen Z has to offer.
It’s tempting to call Lola Flanery the new local 2.0 version of Tatiana Maslany, except the North Toronto phenom is uniquely her own star. At the dawn of the premiere of season seven of The 100, a buzzy, addictive American sci-fi series on the CW, Flanery seems to be coming even more into her own as a down-to-earth actor with serious chops. She’s comfortable in her own skin and it shows on screen. Her other notable roles include playing the younger version of the Seelie Queen on Shadowhunters and a recurring role on Mary Kills People. Flanery is young and confident: she has the poise of a young Sarah Polley mixed with the joie de vivre of a wiser soul, like the Emmy-nominated, hilarious local legend Catherine O’Hara. Her reputation is growing while her head remains the same size, a combination for iconic success. So what’s next for the budding young local sensation? It’s safe to say, whatever she wants. — Ben Kaplan
William Leathers | Age 18
From the tender age of four, William Leathers has been a music man. After begging his mom for piano lessons, the tot began his journey to Juilliard. Eventually trading keys for brass, trumpet became his mode of expression. At age 12, he became the youngest trumpet player to join the Toronto Youth Symphony Orchestra. At the conclusion of high school, he was accepted to the school of his dreams. Juilliard is unparalleled in musical education, but the price tag is $91,000 a year for tuition and housing. Leathers launched a GoFundMe page aiming to raise his tuition. The reach of his campaign grew wider than he could have imagined, and in a few short months, the teen trumpeter had raised enough for his first year of school. Now into his second year at Juilliard, he has managed to raise enough for two full years worth of school costs. In February of 2019, he headlined his first show for Black History Month to a sold-out crowd at the Aga Khan Museum. And we’re sure to see more amazing things from him in the future. — Darcy Streitenfeld
Jacqueline Zhang | Age 17
Ballet became a part of Jacqueline Zhang’s life when she was four years old and her grandmother took her to dance class. A dozen years later, the dancer has made a name for herself on the world stage. The Claude Watson School for the Arts student competed in the Royal Academy of Dance’s Genée International Ballet Competition this past August. The competition included 62 dancers, 19 of whom were Canadian, and took place in Toronto. “It was such an amazing experience,” says Zhang. “I have gained knowledge that I can take beyond this competition.” Zhang, who trains at the School of Toronto City Ballet between five and seven days a week for two to four hours per day, made it to the semifinals of the competition. “Attending Genée means that I have achieved my Advanced 2 examination with distinction,” says Zhang. “I have been awarded top solos in other competitions.” The Grade 12 student will continue her training in ballet and hopes to land in a professional company or become a dance teacher in the future. — Nikki Gill
Johnny Orlando | Age 16
It started with a simple YouTube video. At age eight, Johnny Orlando sang a cover version of “Mistletoe,” by Justin Bieber. Today, that video has more than three million views and has helped solidify him as a force in the music industry. Orlando, now 16, signed a deal with Universal Music Canada last year. He has since recorded six more singles, headlined his first North American tour and released a debut solo EP, “Teenage Fever.” Orlando tells us that fans can expect a lot of new music from him and perhaps another tour. “I spent the whole summer in Los Angeles working with a bunch of different producers and writers, really trying to make the best music I could,” he says. “I know my fans have been eagerly anticipating new music since “Teenage Fever,” so I just really can’t wait to put it out.” With more than 12 million fans online, T.O.’s prince of pop (who counts Justin Bieber as one of his musical idols) tells us that his family helps keep him grounded. “My life has definitely become a lot more hectic over the last few years, so it’s nice to just do nothing when I have free time,” he said. — Nisean Lorde
Matthew Christakos picked up a cello at age four. What started out as following in the footsteps of his older brothers turned into a rewarding craft. Christakos isn’t just good at playing the cello, he’s somewhat of a musical prodigy. He also put in years of dedicated practice and intense training at the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Taylor Academy. The 19-year-old studied under the tutelage of acclaimed cello masters David Hetherington and Hans Jørgen Jensen. “They gave me all the tools I need to play the cello,” he told the Royal Conservatory. This year alone, Christakos nabbed the $25,000 Canada Council Michael Measures Prize, an extremely competitive award that recognizes young Canadian classical musicians enrolled in the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. In June, he took second place in Stepping Stone 2019 as part of the Canadian Music Competition, another prestigious competition that recognizes 30 young musicians from across Canada. The longtime Toronto resident has set his sights on a bachelor of music at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pa. — NL
Mississauga’s Maitreyi Ramakrishnan stars in Mindy Kaling’s new Netflix comedy Never Have I Ever, set to premiere in 2020. The Tamil-Canadian grew up loving to perform but never thought she’d end up in Hollywood. “This is absolutely surreal,” she says. “I still don’t think it has fully hit me that this is actually happening. That’ll probably happen when I’m sitting at home scrolling through Netflix next year.” Ramakrishnan beat out more than 15,000 hopefuls in Kaling’s open casting call. It all started when a close friend encouraged her to send in an audition tape. When a first callback came through, she attributed it to chance, but when a second callback was followed by an invitation to meet with Kaling in L.A. — that’s when the whole family gave themselves permission to celebrate. It wasn’t long before the lead role of Devi was hers. The series features a coming-of-age narrative for a first-generation Indian-American teen and her family. — DS
Mohamd Ibrahim | Age 14
“I’ll save and save and save, until I open a restaurant — then I want to expand,” says Mohamd Ibrahim, a 14-year-old street artist turned Internet sensation who sells his wares at Yonge-Dundas Square. Originally from Abu Dhabi, Ibrahim has a can-do attitude that makes his painted rocks and Toronto sunsets impossible for tourists to resist. A freshman in high school, Ibrahim, who goes by the name of Nile Paints, has graduated from selling water to making art for sale and is slowly amassing a following that would impress even the toughest judges on Shark Tank. With his paint-splattered clothes and tiny dreadlocks, Ibrahim is a whirling dervish of energy and momentum, and his dreams go beyond simply making his next sale. He’s spoken often of wanting to be a millionaire by 24 years old, and his mix of pluck, talent and chutzpah makes the young man a solid bet for entrepreneurial success. His star is rising with each person he meets. — BK
TECH
Kayley Ting | Age 19
Kayley Ting took her love of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) and became an advocate for girls in this field and for students with autism. “I have always enjoyed art and making crafts,” she says of her early interest in the field. “When I started elementary school and learned more about science, those crafts started to transform into science experiments.” In Grade 10 at Richmond Hill’s Academy for Gifted Children, P.A.C.E., Ting joined the robotics team and noticed the lack of girls participating. “I worked with my peers to start the school’s first all-girls robotics team,” she says. That team went on to win gold at the Canadian Young Physicists’ Tournament. “I think it’s important for girls to remember that, regardless of the status quo, the field in which you are interested is the field where you belong,” says Ting. She also volunteered at an intensive behavioural intervention (IBI) school for children with autism and created a STEAM-based after-school activity. “It is important that these lessons are shared in a way that every child can understand and enjoy,” says Ting. — NG
Tanmay Bakshi | Age 15
Tanmay Bakshi has an intellect that brings to mind the habits of legendary coding forebears such as Steve Jobs. Bakshi, 15, became the world’s youngest IBM Watson Programmer when he was 12, and created his first app at age nine. The son of a programmer, Bakshi brings a child’s fascination to his trade, such as one would expect of a budding Einstein, and a curiosity that makes work seem like fun, and turns coding problems into games. “It was so fascinating to me how computers could do anything,” Bakshi told CNBC. “I wanted to know how you can control computers and tell them what to do.” It’s not enough for Bakshi to speak before 25,000 people or give a TEDx Talk. The young man isn’t motivated by riches or fame; his obsession currently lies with artificial intelligence. Working with a woman in North Toronto, Bakshi designed an AI system for a quadraplegic child to communicate with the people she loves. “Without deep learning, it’s impossible,” Bakshi said. “[AI] can augment and save so many lives. That’s what I’m most passionate about.” — BK
CULINARY
Christopher Lexovsky | Age 20
Christopher Lexovsky is no stranger to the restaurant business: his father and grandfather both owned restaurants, and he started cooking at age nine. By the time he was 15, the north Leaside resident was working at the Daniel et Daniel catering company as a prep cook. “Moving forward from there, I knew right away that cooking is what I wanted to do as a profession the rest of my life,” says Lexovsky. So it wasn’t a surprise when the teen decided to compete on Chopped Canada Teen. “The way I always grew up cooking was without recipes or guidelines to follow, so it really helped in the Chopped kitchen by allowing me to be creative,” he says of the experience. Now at age 20, Lexovsky is the chef de partie at Aloette and says it is the best kitchen he has ever worked in. “As far as age goes, I’m much younger than most of the cooks and chefs there, but I see it as an opportunity as I am learning from some of the best in the city,” says Lexovsky. — NG
