By Suzanne Chin-Loy
Chef Hermawan Lay is known for skillfully combining traditional Asian flavours with European and North-American influences at Jade, located in the heart of Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood. His menu exemplifies modern fusion cuisine and showcases flexibility and innovation to create delectable, unexpected taste experiences.
With a diverse culinary background that spans different continents and cuisines, Lay’s epicurean journey began with the influence of his grandparents and parents, who instilled in him a love for cooking. “The whole family loves food,” Lay admits proudly. “My [paternal] grandma used to have a home-cooking catering company back in Indonesia, which made me want to pursue this career.”
After graduating from vocational school in Indonesia, Lay completed the Culinary Arts/Chef Training diploma program at Universitas Trisakti, Indonesia. He later secured an internship at 16 with ISS Catering Services just across the water in Singapore, where he focused on quality, nutrition, and sustainability. “I was there for six months. We were super busy and needed to supervise 2,000 meals over four days for Formula One (F1). It was a pretty big deal and an incredible experience.”
He later completed a three-month internship at a prestigious hotel in Bali before moving to Canada, where he graduated with Honours in Culinary Management from Humber College in Toronto. “I had an amazing opportunity to intern for two-and-a-half years at Momofuku, where I worked with David Chang. He had the biggest influence on me and inspired me with his cuisine,” he says.
In 2019, Lay and a partner opened a restaurant in Indonesia, offering contemporary Asian cuisine with traditional Indonesian flavours. The upscale dining experience gained attention for its modern presentation and creative use of local ingredients. Lay elevated these familiar Indonesian dishes with international techniques, creating a refined yet authentic culinary experience. The restaurant closed in 2021, when Lay yearned to return to the multi-cultural mosaic of Toronto.
Upon returning to Toronto, Lay secured a position as a sous-chef at the upscale restaurant Clio in Yorkville before being promoted to executive chef at Bitter Melon on Spadina Ave. “I was happy to stay at Clio until a recruiter reached out to me, and I had the opportunity to change hats and take on an executive-chef role at Bitter Melon,” Lay admits, “That was my first big role because I never felt I was a good chef, even though I opened a restaurant back home. It’s very different here in terms of professionalism. I stayed at Bitter Melon for two-and-a-half years before accepting the executive chef role at Jade.”
When asked what inspires his dishes at Jade, Lay says that he sees his vision as part of a collaboration with the owners. “I try to execute their vision by combining my expertise to create a concept that will fit. I’m mixing French techniques with my East-Asian cuisine background; I marry everything together, and then it becomes Jade.”
Guests can anticipate a diverse dining experience featuring popular menu items, including Kaizen Toast with foie gras, grilled BBQ eel, and uni paste with kumquat and citrus ($28); Corndogs & Caviar with halloumi, honey mustard, and spicy mayo ($38); and Bone-In Short Rib marinated for 48 hours, grilled, and served with red wine and balsamic gastric ($48).
Chef Lay says, “Jade is like my baby, but I’m also busy with another baby as my wife and I just had a baby girl. I need to make sure that she will be okay, here and at home.”
