What first inspired you to become a chef, and how has your journey led you to Toronto?

I’ve always had a genuine love for food and cooking, but like many people, I spent my early 20s trying to figure out what path to take. It was a challenging time; I struggled to understand what I truly loved or even what I wanted to do. Back home, I felt a strong pressure to follow career paths that didn’t feel right for me. At the time, my sister was living in Toronto and encouraged me to make the move, drawn by the city’s people and culture. In 2016, I took that leap and moved to Toronto, ready for a new adventure.

I spent the past 10 years working front of house in the restaurant industry, from small local spots to fine dining. It wasn’t a path I initially dreamed of, but I was new to the country and had limited options. However, it quickly became something much more meaningful as I found a genuine sense of fulfillment through food I loved, a team working tirelessly together, and guests who truly appreciated the experience we created. It felt different from what I knew back home as I realized I was not only happy in this environment, but that I was good at it. Over time, that realization grew into something bigger. I wanted to create and serve food on my own terms, shaped by my own perspective and experiences. Serving people in Toronto became something I deeply loved, and ultimately, it’s what inspired me to become a chef.

Who were some of your biggest influences, either chefs or family, in shaping your approach to cooking?

My mom. She rarely missed a night of cooking dinner for our family; it was her love language. As a kid, I was endlessly curious about what was happening in the kitchen, so I’d stand by her side, watching closely and asking a million questions. That curiosity has never left me. Even now, I still call her to ask how to make the dishes I miss, and she always has an answer. In Korea, food is deeply tied to the seasons, and my mom made sure we never missed them. She brought those moments to the table, dish by dish. Today, I try to carry that forward by recreating her cooking in my own way, using local ingredients while staying true to those seasonal roots. There’s something about the freshness and flavour that just can’t be beat.

What’s the story behind your experience with CookUnity — how did it come to life?

In 2022, I launched a home-based Korean food delivery service through a platform called Cookin, and I loved every part of it. From cooking, carefully packing each order, and adding handwritten thank-you notes, the response from customers was incredible, and building connections through my food made it all feel deeply worthwhile. That experience gave me the confidence to start building something of my own. I began exploring different formats through pop-ups, festivals, and meal prep to gain hands-on kitchen experience outside of a traditional restaurant setting. It was fun, rewarding, and at times incredibly challenging.

After three years of growth and struggle, I received a call from Carolyn Cohen, Head of Chef Success at CookUnity, who truly believed in my potential and passion. She invited me to become a partner in Toronto. Today, my team and I partner with CookUnity to produce thousands of meals each week, reaching eaters far beyond what a traditional restaurant could. What makes it unique is that CookUnity handles the infrastructure—sourcing, production, and delivery, so chefs like me can focus on creating and refining dishes. At the same time, we get direct feedback from thousands of customers through ratings, reviews, and repeat orders, which allows us to continuously improve our menus. It creates a powerful connection between chefs and eaters at scale, where creativity, data, and real demand come together. CookUnity is where I truly feel that connection between people and food come to life

How does the food culture of Toronto influence your cooking style or menu choices?

I’ve learned to cook with a sense of freedom by leading with what tastes good. In the past, I tended to think narrowly and found myself repeating what I already knew. But living in Toronto, surrounded by such a diverse and ever-evolving food scene, changed that perspective completely. It made me realize there isn’t just one “right” way to cook and that I can create whatever feels true to me. That shift has brought much more variety into my menus and a more open, intuitive approach to how I cook. At the same time, working with CookUnity has given me visibility into broader food trends and what people are actually craving through real-time feedback and data. Combined with the cultural diversity of Toronto, which has really expanded my creativity. During my first year in Toronto, I lived with a roommate from Mexico who was also an incredible chef. She introduced me to home-style Mexican cooking, and that experience sparked a deeper curiosity in me. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with exploring different cuisines and continue to draw inspiration from them in my own work.

What’s one local ingredient you can’t live without in your kitchen?

Linton Pasture Pork is some of the best local pork I’ve worked with, and I absolutely love using it. For me, Korean BBQ made with it is my go-to treat when cooking for myself.

If someone was visiting Toronto for the first time, what food experience would you insist they try?

Anything they haven’t tried yet! Toronto has such an incredible range of food options, so I’d start by introducing different cuisines and building from there based on what excites them most.

What restaurants, cafés, or hidden gems in Toronto do you personally love to eat at when you’re off-duty?

Oji Seichi, a ramen shop in East Chinatown, is one of my favourites. I love taking the walk from Broadview Station through the neighbourhood, passing by Riverdale Park with a great view of the city. The area has such a great mix of everything from coffee shops, brunch spots, and affordable, delicious local restaurants like Supreme Taste.

Where do you like to shop for ingredients locally — farmers’ markets, specialty shops, or a particular supplier?

Fiesta Farms for high-quality produce, Galleria Supermarket for Korean ingredients, and Foody World for everyday groceries.

Beyond food, what makes Toronto special to you as a place to live and work?

I would say the diversity and a sense of peace. I’m able to truly be myself, and I see that same freedom in others. There’s no single definition of what it means to be a Torontonian, and that openness is exactly what makes me feel like I belong here.

What’s next for you and CookUnity?

My partnership with CookUnity has allowed me to focus on what I love most—cooking. The creative freedom to create food that I truly believe in is something I haven’t experienced in any other role, and it’s been incredibly fulfilling.

I’m excited to continue growing with this team, bringing fresh, innovative flavours to people across Canada, and focusing on quality meals that reflect my culinary heritage as I continue to expand my menu at CookUnity to more flavours. It’s an opportunity to share my story through food and make a meaningful mark on the culinary scene. I look forward to serving more people and continuing to develop new recipes and dishes to share with this community.

The post Season to Taste: Chef Kate Noh of CookUnity appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What makes this concept unique is that it brings us food lovers closer to award-winning chefs as well as emerging ones in our city. Michael Baruch and Morley Ivers, co-heads of CookUnity Canada, wanted to help revolutionise the food industry by providing chefs with a new concept to their business model that allows them to monetise their talents further without the traditional challenges of running a restaurant. “These people who make food for others are the most talented people I’ve ever met,” said Ivers at the Toronto media preview launch event at Salon Alo. “As a foodie myself, we wanted to find a way to allow them to do incredible well and, at the same time, nourish Canadians with the most incredible food you could possibly eat.”

While new to us here in Canada, the concept has been a proven success in the US for a decade. But they made it clear, this is all about supporting Canadians and the food ecosystem here by providing an experience that allows chefs to focus on creating recipes while CookUnity helps with the operational side of the business by handling logistics, including packaging, real estate, customer service, marketing and execution. “They don’t work for us,” said Ivers. “They’re their own business, but we take care of everything else.”

The recipes are created by the independent chefs and prepared by their own culinary teams to ensure quality, standards, and freshness. They are offered a state of the art facility — a 25,000 square foot dream location designed for the chefs and their teams.

And if you’re wondering about pricing of the meals like us?  We were surprised to discover the affordability considering the quality and convenience. Example, if we ordered pre-made 8 meals per week, it’s $14.59 per meal (note: we noticed there’s a launch time offer of 30% off  for three weeks, bringing it to $10.21 per meal)

What we know …

• Canada’s celebrated chefs cook for you
• Made fresh to order, never frozen, and delivered chill within 24 hours
• Menu evolves
• Just heat and serve
• Weekly subscription-based
• Deliveries start June 1st in Ontario

Through the site, consumers can also include food and cuisine preferences, dietary considerations to help personalise the selection of weekly offerings. With over 100 fresh, never frozen, chef-crafted menu items at launch, CookUnity will offer Canadians unparalleled access to an incredible roster of award-winning and emerging Canadian and international chefs.

The A-list chefs we know who are involved so far…

• Patrick Kriss – The Alo Food Group (Alo, Aloette)
• Dadrian Coke – Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen
• Trever Lui – HighBell Hospitality, Fat Bao
• Chef Toben Kochman – TOBEN Food By Design, The Pearl Muskoka
• Chef Sand Tsoi – Baan Thai
• Chef Rocco Agostino – Pizzeria Libretto, Enoteca Sociale
• Chef Hemant Bhagwani – Goa Indian Farm Kitchen
• Chef Kate Noh – Hansik

“Our decision in partnering with CookUnity is embedded in a couple of key things,” said Chef Trevor Lui.  “They have a great team and they truly care about the industry and have a laser focus on bridging chefs with consumers.  For us, it means we can share our journey and stories of our food with a lot more customers with essentially borderless geographical reach.  And really, with the resources and foundation that CookUnity is providing as part of the platform, we can aim to reach new goals faster and really concentrate on creating great meals for customers.”

What you can expect at time of launch…

CookUnity’s launch menu will feature standout dishes from top-tier Canadian chefs, including “Grilled Chicken & Pine Nut–Chili Salsa” created by Michelin-starred Chef Patrick Kriss, The Alo Hospitality Group. “Pad Ka Praow Beef with Thai Holy Basil” by Canadian Chef Sand Tsoi, a graduate from Cookin and one of the hand-picked chefs to launch Toronto’s inaugural Smorgasburg market, “Jamaican Pepper Shrimp” by Chef Dadrian Coke, the chef de cuisine of Michelin-recommended Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen and “Mongolian Beef & Fried Egg Noodles” by award-winning Chef Trevor Lui of Highbell Hospitality Group. As well as dishes from prominent international chefs, including “Cod in Spicy Moroccan Tomato Sauce” by James Beard Award-semifinalist and Chopped winner Chef Einat Admony, and “Mission-Style Carnitas” by James Beard Award-winner Chef Jose Garces. Each chef brings their signature techniques and distinctive cultural influences to CookUnity’s diverse and dynamic menu.

And if you’re wondering about pricing. We were surprised to discover the affordability. Example, at time of pre-launch if we ordered 8 meals per week, it’s $14.59 per meal (note: there’s an additional launch 30% off pricing for three weeks, bringing it to $10.21 per meal)

To learn more, visit cookunity.ca

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