Food
Your Next Dinner Party Needs This Insta-Famous Baker’s Recipes
Published on June 15, 2018
For the past decade, Philip Haddad has been leading a double life. A Toronto prosthodontist by day, he’s been moonlighting as a sourdough bread and pastry baker by night, travelling all around the world to perfect his skills. The globe-trotting gourmand is now taking the leap from hobby baker to restaurateur, with plans to open his own bakery-meets-restaurant, Emmer & Ash, within a year. In the meantime, he’s experimenting, giving away his test bakes to lucky friends and Instagram followers. Philip invited us into his home to share his favorite dishes for a laid-back get-together. Click through for his entertaining tips and recipes, and a peek inside his kitchen where it all takes place.
Philip completely renovated his downtown Toronto home two years ago. He wanted a kitchen that was functional but “not so modern that it felt precious.” The result is a beautifully designed space that balances high-spec appliances with natural wood and stone.
Dinner parties often begin at the giant marble waterfall island, which Philip says is the most-used part of his house.
Philip uses a KoMo grinder to mill grains for flour. He chose the restaurant’s name, Emmer & Ash, because he liked the concept of beginnings and endings: “Emmer is one of the ancient grains and ashes in ovens are the leftovers at the end of work days.”
Some of Philip’s favorite kitchen tools are a corzetti stamp, brass ice cream scoop and pasta cutter from Bologna.
His go-to pans are by French brand De Buyer. Underneath is his baking steel — an absolute must-have for making pizza, pastries and flatbreads.
Bread will be a big part of the menu at Emmer & Ash, with crostinis and flatbreads baked in the wood-burning stove. What makes Philip’s baking so extraordinary? His friend Laura Calder best sums it up: “He’s a perfectionist,” she says. “He cooks very simply, but everything he makes is exquisite. He’s the master of ‘just right.’”
Philip and his friends eat together once a week, with hosting duties rotating each time. (From left: Nils Riis, Tammy Rampone, Laura Calder, Philip and Peter Scowen.)
“This flatbread is foolproof and so versatile. You can cook it in a cast-iron pan, in the oven or grill it. The tahini adds a nutty flavor and aroma.”
Get the recipe for Tahini Flatbread.
“I prefer the flavor and texture of freshly cooked chickpeas, but in a pinch, I’ll use canned. The charred asparagus add smokiness, while the raw pieces give it a bit of crunch.”
Get the recipe for Hummus With Charred And Raw Asparagus.
“This Spring Riis cocktail is made with snap pea–infused gin.”
Get the recipe for Spring Riis.
“I went to Israel for the first time last year and was blown away by the food. This dish was inspired by that trip. You can serve [the eggplant] hot or at room temperature, so it can be made in advance.”
Get the recipe for Roasted Eggplant With Zhoug and Cod With Coriander Seed.
“I keep this pastry dough and frangipane in my freezer at all times. I love the acidity the rhubarb brings to the frangipane, which turns into a semi-cakey layer on top of the tart. I serve this dessert all spring.”
Get the recipe for this Frangipane And Rhubarb Tart.
Stacey Brandford
House & Home May 2018
Kristen Eppich (food), Emma Reddington (prop)