Welcome to our very first instalment of #KitchenOfTheMonth which is where we’ll be bringing you with us into the kitchens of the hottest movers & shakers in the industry. This month we’re featuring Eatertainment’s Founder & Creative Director Sebastien Centner. Sebastien is a fixture on the Toronto hospitality and entertainment scene and has garnered national recognition for his incredible achievements so, naturally, we were dying to see what Sebastien’s kitchen looks like. Plus we even got the 411 from Sebastien himself on what a typical morning looks like for him and his wife Sheila and what their fave meal to cook together is!
What was the inspiration behind the design of your kitchen?
We actually purchased our home with the kitchen already done but it was one of the main features that attracted Sheila and me to the home. The open feel of the kitchen that flows throughout the main floor (through the dining room and living room) we loved since it feels more like an open concept loft than a typical house.
Do you have a favourite nook?
Sitting at the bar is our go-to-spot – when one of us is cooking the other can be hanging out with them sitting at the bar and keeping them company which makes for a great environment for conversation or to entertain
What’s your go-to dish to cook?
Sheila makes the most amazing seared ahi tuna with garlic chips, ponzu sauce and jalapeños and black sesame seeds. It sounds complicated but it’s actually really easy and delicious. What we love about this dish is you can serve it as an appetizer or even as a course you can serve in a small bowl while people mingle, or you can make it a main course.
You both travel quite a lot! What does your morning ritual look like when you’re at home?
When we’re in Toronto it’s espresso for me, coffee for Sheila – which when we’re home we always try and have together, then I head to the office (sometimes with Sheila) or we head out on our own. In Miami, it’s the same espresso for me, coffee for Sheila but then we usually like to walk the dogs together first thing
In both cases I love starting and ending my day with Sheila! I think she feels the same most of the time!!!
You have homes in both Miami and Toronto, what are some differences between your kitchens in those cities?
In Toronto, our kitchen is really heavily used, for cooking, for entertaining, for when family are in town, it gets a ton of use and we always stock a lot of stuff (wine, food, etc) but in Miami, we live a more casual lifestyle and are out way more so we cook a lot less and don’t generally stock as much in our kitchen there.
The holidays this year are taking a virtual turn — Do you think it’s possible to “host” a great virtual party or dinner this season?
Yes, but you can’t just host your usual party or dinner and log onto zoom – too many people are trying that and realizing it just doesn’t work. More thought and planning needs to go into it to prepare in advance to make the virtual experience a great one. When it comes to hosting virtual parties or dinners we like to come up with either a cocktail or a food dish and send out the ingredients and directions ahead of time to our friends (or at least the directions and shopping list) then when you get online you have something to actually do with your friends virtually as you lead them through the preparation of the dish.
A few fun ideas are for everyone (each couple or group) to choose one dish or drink and send the directions to everyone else so if you are four couples each couple will take their turn leading the virtual call then someone else takes over – it makes for a really fun and interactive way to connect with friends virtually.
What can you tell us about any upcoming projects? Anything we can look forward to coming down the line?
Well, funny you should ask…. Sheila and I just finished shooting the last chapter of our new entertaining book for Appetite (Penguin Random House) and are now in the editing and design phase. We have been wanting to do an entertaining book for years and with couples entertaining becoming so popular we were thrilled when Penguin Random House approached us. The book will really focus on how to entertain as a couple (team) and will cover all the bases for drinks, décor and atmosphere, food of course and lots of tips and tricks from Sheila and I, but it also should serve as a relationship guide since there is really nothing more stressful then entertaining and learning to do it as a team (couple, room-mates, friends, whatever) is a skill that takes some practice but is totally acheivable. When we have people over they often comment about how easy we make it look and say things like “we could never do this as well as you guys” but that’s just not true and we really want to help people learn to entertain.
See below for a peek into Sebastien and Sheila Centner’s Toronto kitchen!
With sleek lines, warm undertones, minimal decor, and soft lighting, Sebastien’s Toronto kitchen is a chef’s dream — just look at all that counter real estate. In addition to the expansive space, the kitchen has an open and airy vibe which is always great if there are a few cooks in there getting dinner prepped because we all know what it’s like to feel cramped in the kitchen.
Check back soon for next month’s #KitchenoftheMonth.
