Chef Ricardo Smith

Private Chef In Toronto

Greetings, esteemed Paleters!

Having dedicated myself to the culinary arts for more than 15 years, including 7 years of professional experience, I possess a wealth of expertise in the realm of gastronomy. This includes a remarkable tenure of Four (4) years in the United States and Three (3) years on the enchanting Island of Jamaica. Throughout my journey, I have diligently served in various capacities within the restaurant industry, encompassing roles such as kitchen manager, sous chef, front-of-house manager, server, bartender, and busser. Moreover, I have had the privilege of working at esteemed establishments known for their sophistication and fast-paced environments.

My culinary prowess extends to a diverse range of cuisines, notably Italian, Caribbean, Soul-food/American Southern, and Asian. Additionally, I had the honor of working at a prestigious wine bar in Yorkville, Toronto, for a period of 2 years, where I acquired an extensive knowledge of wines. My passion for harmonizing wine and food knows no bounds, so please feel free to seek my guidance when it comes to pairing recommendations.

For me, cooking is...

About Love Family and Friends. It's my passion and natural talent

I learned to cook at...

The Big Fish Restaurant in the United States and my dad's restaurant in the island of Jamaica,

A cooking secret...

I have the ability to combine ingredients in my head and taste the outcome before I cook the meal. I call it Mind Tasting.

My menus

The French Palate (Le palais français)

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Salad niçoise - Cherry tomato, green bean, potato, radish, lettuce, black olives, eggs

Green bean salad -Green beans, tomato spicy corn and balsamic vinegar

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Black and green olive tapenade

Tartine - walnut, pear, goat cheese and honey

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Chicken fricassee - chicken leg and thigh stewed in a creamy mushroom white wine sauce, served with mash potato

Coq Au Vin - chicken leg and thigh simmered in pinot noir, served with mash potato

Saumon à l'oseille -Fresh Salmon dry white wine, sorel leave, cream lemon and butter

Sole meunière - White fish or cod pan fried then finished with a lime just brown butter and parsley

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Creme brulee

French Apple Charlette

Crème Caramel

8 course tasting Menu

STARTER

All inclusive

Freshly baked focaccia bread

Jamaican style chicken soup with corn

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Fire Cracker Shrimp (Special blend of sweet & spicy sauce)

Beef Tataki (seared and thinly slice beef tenderloin & drizzled with citrus-soy reduction fresh Jalapeno pepper)

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Tidal Wave (An assortment of hand picked shellfish include lobster, P.E.I. Mussels, jumbo shrimp and scallops cooked in tomato sauce with onions & bell peppers, served over jasmine rice)

Pasta Corta -Fusilli in light cream sauce topped with Jamaican Jerk BBQ chicken(spicy)

DESSERT

All inclusive

The mighty Jamaican run cake server with Irish coffee

Hell's Chocolate (Ice cream topped with a fiery rum chocolate skull finish)

The Latin American Medley

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Jamaican street side -Scotch bonnets craw fish (spicy)

Carnita Fries - French fries piled high with roasted chicken, jalapeño, cilantro and raw onion, topped with melted cheese

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Breadfruit chips (seasonal) and curry chicken dip(Breadfruit may be substituted for festival)

Callaloo and cabbage with fries dumpling

Panama's national dish(Sancocho)- chicken soup with corn, carrots, and other vegetables

The original Jamaican Jerk chicken wings

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

The Jamaican Sunday Dinner- sweet and savory chicken served with rice and beans and steam island style vegetables

Mexican Pina Fajita -Chicken and shrimp sauteed with bell peppers and onion served in half of of pineapple with lettuce, pico guacamole and Mexican rice

The 10 spice curry chicken served with Jasmine rice and avocado

Black bean coconut beef stew served with yellow rice and avocado

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Jamaican Cornmeal Pudding served with Lemongrass Tea

Potato pudding Lemongrass Tea

The Chef's Special

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Freshly baked focaccia bread, served with cheese, grapes and olives

Spinach salad (dried figs, pine nuts, cranberries, and with a strawberry vinaigrette)

Organic mix green sauteed shrimp, cherry tomatoes, lemon, extra virgin olive oil(Can be made GLUTEN FREE)

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Flash fried Lobster Tail

Beef Tataki (seared and thinly slice beef tenderloin & drizzled with citrus-soy reduction fresh Jalapeno pepper)

Fire Cracker Shrimp (Rice wine Purple cabbage Slaw Special blend of sweet & spicy sauce)

Breadfruit chips and curry chicken dip(Breadfruit is seasonal) may be substituted for festival)

Chopped raw tuna, capers, lemon, avocado sea salt and extra-virgin olive oil (Can be made GLUTIN FREE)

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Crispy fried chicken marinated in herbs for 48 hours serve with coconut rice and beans, steam veggies and a sweet and savory sauce

Salmon - Sauteed and finish with a lemon beurre blanc served with creamy jasmine rice and garlic butter green beans

Thai Style Stir Fry (Napa cabbage, bell pepper , red onions & mushrooms sautéed in Thai season broth topped with steamed jasmine rice.) (GLUTIN FREE)

Sesame Seed Seared Ahi Tuna (Edamame hash & Roasted red potatoes with Tempura fried Green beans)

Jamaican Baked Chicken with a Jerk-BBQ sauce finish (served with steam veggies and steam jasmine rice)

Ribeye steak topped with a jerk BBQ butter finish served with mash potato and garlic green bean. (CAN BE MADE GLUTEN FREE)

Pasta Corta -Fusilli in light cream sauce topped with Jerk chicken (CAN BE MADE GLUTEN FREE)

Pasta Corta - Penne in garlic tomato sauce to with pesto chicken (CAN BE MADE GLUTEN FREE)

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

The Dark Chocolate Temptation

Berrylicious Cheesecake

Jamaica mi crazy (waah gwaan mon)

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Jamaican style chicken soup with dumpling and corn

Jamaican street side -Scotch bonnets craw fish (spicy)

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Breadfruit chips (seasonal) and curry chicken dip(Breadfruit may be substituted for festival)

Callaloo and cabbage with fries dumpling

Jamaican Jerk BBQ Chicken Wings

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Jamaican Jerk bbq chicken serve with coconut rice and beans, steam veggies and a sweet and savory sauce

The Jamaican Sunday Dinner- sweet and savory chicken served with rice and beans and steam island style vegetables

Jamaican crispy fried chicken 48 hours marinated in Jamaican herbs serve with coconut rice and beans, steam veggies and a sweet and savory sauce

Jamaican curry goat - goat meat stewed in a curry sauce with more than10 spices and served with white rice

The Rasta Man Plate - Whole red-tail snapper, cooked in a curry coconut sauce- served with jasmine rice

Ital is Vital- Jamaican escovitch style whole red-tail snapper served with steam veggies and festival (spicy)

The Usain Bolt - Jamaican curry chicken boil dumplings, yellow yam avocado

Jamaica fisherman street - Coconut curry shrimp with jasmine rice avocado

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Jamaican Cornmeal Pudding served with Lemongrass Tea

The mighty Jamaican Run Cake

Jamaican potato pudding served with sorrel tea

A Taste Of Asia

STARTER

All inclusive

Cucumber salad (Marinated in rice wine and cilantro

Vegetable Tempura

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Flash fried Lobster Tail

Japanese Sake Steam Clam

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Sesame Seed Seared Ahi Tuna (Edamame hash & Roasted red potatoes and tempura fried Green beans)

General Tso Chicken - with jasmine rice steam broccoli

Salmon sauteed -topped with scallions & ginger, served with spinach & jasmine rice in a sherry soy broth

Fire Cracker Fried Rice (Thai-Style fried rice, with 8 Jumbo shrimp, top with cucumber salad and egg)

DESSERT

All inclusive

Chinese Mango Pudding

Cheese Cake

Welcome to Flavor Town

STARTER

All inclusive

Spinach salad (dried figs, pine nuts, cranberries, and brie with a strawberry vinaigrette)

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Fire Cracker Shrimp (Special blend of sweet & spicy sauce)

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Ribeye steak glazed with a jerk BBQ finish served with red potatoes hash(mushroom and blue cheese) and garlic green bean

DESSERT

All inclusive

Cornmeal Pudding served with Lemongrass Tea

Beef and Seafood extravaganza

STARTER

All inclusive

Insalata Cesare (Croutons, turkey bacon, Parmigiano, extra virgin olive oil, Lemon)

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Beef Tataki (seared and thinly slice beef tenderloin & drizzled with citrus-soy reduction fresh Jalapeno pepper)

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Tidal Wave (An assortment of hand picked shellfish include lobster, P.E.I. Mussels, jumbo shrimp and scallops cooked in tomato sauce with onions & bell peppers, served over jasmine rice)

DESSERT

All inclusive

Chocolate Cake

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Chef Ricardo's reviews

4.39

•

10 services

Chef Ricardo was lovely to communicate and plan with. He was so patient and accommodating to what I needed for the night's meal. We had some dishes from his jamaican menu and they looked and tasted great and his wine pairing was perfect too! He was great company on the night, great to have conversation with and also gave us space to enjoy conversation amongst ourselves.

Chef Ricardo was very accessible, super friendly, and prepared delicious, high quality food in generous portions. We have young children, and he was also very gracious with them. Would highly recommend.

Chef Ricardo Smith hosted an incredible birthday dinner for my husband and our young family! Starting with the menu options and customization to account for picky eaters and young children, communication in advance was seamless and he gave lots of options for us to choose from. When he arrived on the day of the dinner, he was very friendly, personable, and professional! He was great with our two young kids and I felt completely comfortable with him in our kitchen and home. And the food itself was incredible!!! We loved every dish he made, and there was a ton of food, we were stuffed! He even brought wine to pair with the different courses, what a pleasant surprise! Overall, it was a wonderful experience and next time we’re looking for a private chef, I definitely want to have Chef Ricardo Smith back! We highly recommend him!