TORONTO — Toronto fine-dining Mexican restaurant Quetzal has appointed Steve Molnar as its new head chef.
The Toronto native has worked under prominent chefs such as Charles Antoine Crete, Normand Laprise and David Lee. He’s also been part of Quetzal’s parent company, Overbudget Restaurant Group, for more than five years, working on the line at Bar Raval before moving up to sous chef at Bar Isabel and finally joining the team at Quetzal.
Molnar will continue to focus on celebrating Mexico’s culinary heritage, showcasing wood-fire cooking and incorporating sustainably sourced Ontario ingredients. His menu features fresh ceviches, slow-cooked whole vegetables, grilled fish and meat, complex moles and salsas, fresh-made tortillas and masa-based dishes. Quetzal favourites remain, including the grilled squid with salsa macha, fermented masa and charred cabbage; the Lamb Barbacoa Empanada — a dish that was reverse-engineered to mimic the flavour and texture of meat traditionally cooked in a pit; and the Coconut Nicuatole, a traditional Oaxacan corn-based dessert (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free).
