Famed chef Marco Pierre White finds gourmet shortcuts in the kitchen

Famed British chef Marco Pierre White's recent visit to Toronto gave us an opportunity to see how easy and simple it is to make classic dishes like risotto, soups and mains with a few quick shortcuts — like using prepared stock instead of made-from-scratch.

DINING GUIDE

Gloss Cafe — Gloss cafe is the perfect place for those who appreciate fine food, a cozy atmosphere and good music. At Gloss Cafe's open kitchen, chefs work their magic to create Asian cuisine: sushi, rolls, temaki and phyto salads, while hot dishes are prepared in sizzling woks.

Food for thought

Just because something looks like a certain type of food doesn't mean it will taste like that food. When you were a kid, you tried to eat dirt because it looked like chocolate. So, while the food at Chef Yan Can Cook in the University Center may look like Chinese food, make no mistake, it tastes nothing like its namesake.

Burger Monger letdown: This burger specialist needs to step up

By Brian Ries Making a burger is easy. Ground beef, vaguely puck-like, cooked — no problem. Making a great burger, however, takes a little more thought. The beef comes first, good quality and ground with enough fat to keep the final product moist and rich. Then you have to think about shaping the patty. Cram the meat together nice and tight — or stuff it into one of those infomercial burger ...

Let's not meat: Try vegetarian Mondays

What images come to mind when you plan a picnic menu? Hot dogs and juicy, fist-size burgers dressed in condimental finery? Lightly charred pieces of poultry shellacked with barbecue sauce? Two-inch-thick rib-eye steaks crusty and burned on the outside,...