Dave Mawhinney

Dave Mawhinney has had this particular spoon for more than 15 years. "The spoon was 'borrowed' from one of the first restaurants I worked at in Toronto. It's an extension that allows you to connect with the food you’re cooking in a much more precise and controlled manner than say a fork or pair of tongs." About ten years ago, Mawhinney altered it by adding perforations so he could use it to strain foods cooked in liquid. The spoon has occasionally gone missing over the years, but it always seems to turn up.

When it comes to his spoonful, Mawhinney feels it captured a moment in the arc of his constantly evolving chefdom. "These ingredients are a great example of how different flavors and textures can elevate and become something greater than the sum of their individual parts. It also represents how, for example, beets are used in three different directions—as part of the cure, as a puree and as a pickled garnish. Ingredients are just as important as the technique."