Toronto’s dining scene is serving up more than just delicious cuisine these days. Some of the city’s most popular chefs and eateries are stepping into the fashion world, launching everything from athleisure collections to designer-made restaurant uniforms. Here are some buzzworthy food-fashion mash-ups worth knowing about.
United Bakers drops athleisure
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This iconic dairy restaurant has been a Toronto institution since 1912, and is known for delicious comfort food, like its signature green split pea soup. Recently, United Bakers extended this brand of comfort to its merchandise! The restaurant unveiled a leisurewear line created with local beachwear brand Bather, and guided by fashion veteran Syd Beder (the same guy who helped bring Lululemon to Toronto, grow Roots and introduce the city to premium flannel and denim).
“We connected one day on the front steps of the restaurant, and started chatting about our merchandise — which led to Syd’s working with us to develop our comfort collection,” United Bakers said in a recent Instagram post, alongside a picture of Beder donning a pair of special edition Bather Comfort Suit sweatpants ($99, featuring an elastic waistband).
The line also includes 100 per cent cotton crewneck T-shirts ($18) emblazoned with the cheeky phrase “Call U.B. at 416-789-0519 for takeout or catering… Then call your mother, she’s worried about you,” “Peas Be Upon You” hoodies ($99.99), French Terry “Table 21” hoodies ($99.99), as well as “Since 1912” UB Dad caps ($29.99) in multiple colours. The entire collection is available on the United Bakers’ website.
Matty Matheson’s Rosa Rugosa fashion line
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Celebrity chef and restaurateur Matty Matheson is most recognized for playing restaurant mechanic Neil Fak on the critically acclaimed series The Bear, but he also runs his own Toronto-made clothing line, Rosa Rugosa. Matheson co-founded the line with designer Ray Natale to build heavy-duty, locally made workwear garments (think shirts, jackets and accessories, consisting of built-to-last, double-stitched heavyweight cotton) produced at their in-house “Factory of Roses.”
Highlights include the Dufferin Chore Jacket ($299), made from 10 oz duck canvas with branded metal buttons, and the Gwynne Zip Jacket ($219), featuring a sleek design with external and internal pockets. You can check out the full collection here.
And Matheson’s fashion footprint doesn’t stop with workwear. This summer, he co-starred with country-hip hop star Shaboozey in a Levi’s global Icons campaign, donning jeans in a Western-style cinematic ad celebrating the brand.
Nobu Toronto x Dorian Who
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When Nobu landed in Toronto, diners were treated to a blend of Japanese-inspired concepts and Canadian artisanship. But the restaurant also leaned into the city’s fashion talent, commissioning Iranian Canadian designer Dorian Rahimzadeh, the master mind behind Toronto-based slow fashion streetwear brand Dorian Who, to design its front-of-house uniforms for hosts, supervisors and bartenders.
The uniforms embody “edge, seduction and individuality,” resulting in statement pieces that combine Nobu’s modern Japanese design aesthetic with Toronto’s expressive personality (you can read more about Rahimzadeh’s line of thinking here).
Chef Masaki Saito is a couture superfan
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Chef Masaki Saito may be synonymous with Toronto’s most rarefied omakase experience (despite this year’s Michelin downgrade), but he’s also reportedly fashion-obsessed. According to a 2019 Coveteur profile, Saito once dressed head-to-toe in Gucci before switching allegiances to Louis Vuitton, and he even joked about wanting a Louis Vuitton tuna cutting board! Beyond his fashion fixation, Saito is also the subject of Still Single, a recent TIFF standout that offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the meticulous chef. With talk of Saito potentially opening a new high-end restaurant next summer, his next chapter will likely blur the lines between culinary mastery and stylish influence.
