Saskatoon

Top chef to bring tasty fare to Saskatoon

Downtown Saskatoon may be losing a popular lunch spot, but it's gaining a top chef.

City loses popular lunch spot, but gains new eatery

Downtown is losing a popular lunch spot. Souleio Foods is set to close at the end of May.

While some people may miss Souleio’s commitment to local foods, the space will not remain vacant for long. A new restaurant called Ayden Kitchen & Bar will open late this summer. It will be run by the first winner of Top Chef Canada, Dale MacKay. Saskatoon is MacKay’s home, and he’s thrilled to be back. After looking at several locations, he finally settled on the site now occupied by Souleio Foods.

'We'll be serving everything from burgers to lake trout' —Dale MacKay

"Downtown, I think has a very strong lunch business and I think downtown is really going to change over the next three or four years," said MacKay.

The new restaurant will feature modern comfort food. But the top chef said the commitment to local will remain.

"Most of everything that we will be serving will be made in house," said MacKay. "We'll be serving everything from burgers to lake trout."

MacKay’s restaurant will also have a specialty butcher shop selling everything from meat to cheese. Ayden Kitchen & Bar is set to open in early August.

MacKay's recipe for a BBQ pulled pork sandwich with apple horseradish slaw and parsley infused watermelon