Introducing “CLAY”: a Food Dudes Collaboration at The Gardiner

The Space

CLAY is an in-house collaboration between The Gardiner Museum and The Food Dudes restaurant group, and the space is in and of itself a work of art. Inspired by the museum’s focus on ceramics, the design is bright, airy and earth-toned. It is filled with natural textures — warm wood, soft leather, potted greenery, and ceramic centerpieces, all accentuated by cascading ceilings that allow natural light to warm the space.

Meet Chef

Chef Bianca Azupardo has been honing her skills across some of Toronto’s greatest restaurant groups. After completing George Brown’s Culinary Arts & Chef Training, she continued her own development by working her way up through Toronto’s institutions like O&B Restaurants and The Distillery Group before joining The Food Dudes.

Today, Chef Bianca brings warmth and simplicity to the restaurant offerings at CLAY. She is inspired to create dishes that are familiar, and her work is reflective of resistance to the trend of overcomplicating menus. Her dishes highlight locally sourced ingredients in a creative, yet, easy-to-appreciate way that match the open and inviting interior.

The Food

CLAY’s menu is a celebration of fresh, local fare. To mirror the intention and decor of the space, their dishes are bright as they are rich. Guided by Chef Azupardo’s passion for simplicity, the menu is comprised of familiar dishes that allow for the ingredients to speak for themselves.

Smoked Salmon Flatbread

A house-made flatbread that is topped with smoked salmon, crème fraiche, and “pickled things”. It is a bright, crisp bite that is excellent for sharing.

Panisse & Tomato Salad

A colourful salad comprised of heirloom tomatoes, seasonal vegetables, an herbaceous chermoula, lemon purée and topped with panisse — chickpea fritters with a smooth interior and satisfying crunchy exterior.

Ricotta Gnudi

This is an indulgent dish of rich, cloud-like ricotta gnudi in a roasted corn alfredo, topped with pickled fennel, and crispy sesame chips.

Éclair

This light eclair is stuffed with a raspberry pastry cream and topped with a pistachio crumble, lemon balm, and fresh strawberries. It is a perfect ending that is consistent with the fresh and airy experience at CLAY.

CLAY breathes new life into Yorkville’s fine dining community. It is worthy of noting their unconventional service hours — given their location, they share hours of operation with the museum itself and therefore are only open for lunch and brunch service (11:00am-3:00pm). To discover their full menu, check out their TK profile here.