Cory Vitiello has been shaping Toronto’s food scene for 20 years, honing his skills at the iconic Harbord Room and even cooking for Meghan Markle before her royal days. Now he brings casual done right to the Frederick, on the ground floor of the historic Dineen Building. Roast chicken gets a fine-dining touch, his famous burger returns and playful desserts like soft-serve mascarpone gelato round out the menu. Toronto diners get quality without the fuss, while Vitiello keeps the vibe fun— plus a little maple syrup for his son, Barlow.
Why does Toronto need the Frederick?
The city has lots of places where you can eat fast and lots where you can eat fancy — but very few where you can eat well without fuss. That’s the gap the Frederick fills. Casual done right is rarer than you’d think.
What’s the one dish you’re most excited for guests to try?
I’ll give you two: one is the roast chicken — dry cured in BBQ spice, bathed in sweet onion jus and served with buttery mashed potatoes. It’s humble and comforting, but executed with the kind of technique you usually only find in the finer dining world. The other is soft-serve mascarpone and vanilla gelato — playful and designed to end your meal with a smile. That balance of craft and fun is exactly what we set out to create.
The Harbord Room burger is back. What makes it so addictive?
It’s the details. Fresh-ground dry-aged beef means the patty has that soft, yielding texture, and it doesn’t eat like a hockey puck. The bun carries as much weight as the beef, so the ratio is right, and then the special sauce sneaks in and pushes all the nostalgia buttons.
Which restaurant do you still sneak off to when you’re not working?
Regular haunts are becoming fewer and further between, but one we have kept enjoying over the years is Bar Vendetta.
Which food trend do you wish would disappear forever?
The overuse of caviar. Just keep it special.
Who is your dream dinner guest?
Always my son, Barlow, and my partner, Martina [Sorbara], but if Larry David pulled up, I’d make room.
Halloween is just around the corner. What’s one food experience that still haunts you?
I don’t have one food memory per se, or at least one I’m willing to share, but my true recurring nightmare is a kitchen printer that never stops spitting out orders and my complete inability to serve a single customer.
If your son, Barlow, ran the menu for a day, what would the Frederick be serving?
Buttered noodles and fancy mocktails that are 90 per cent maple syrup by volume. That’s where we’re at now.
