Corbin Catering & Foods has undergone a massive makeover and is opening a stylish new 2,000 sq. ft. retail shop at 1670 Kingston Road, just in time for the holidays.
The expansion is an exciting change for fans of chef Corbin Tomaszeski who’ve been ordering delicious takeout and delivery from cramped quarters on the south side of Kingston Road since the beginning of the pandemic.
The refresh places Corbin squarely in the middle of the trendiest block in Birch Cliff, anchored on one end by the elegant House and Garden Co. and on the other by the popular Birchcliff Coffee Bar.
In the near future, Grayson’s Rustic Bakery will be opening on the same block, enhancing the “go-to” vibe of that stretch of Kingston Road.
Tomaszeski said the expansion has been possible thanks to an “incredibly supportive” community that’s demonstrated a demand for high-quality food.
“Between catering events and doing our takeout and delivery and filling the void of gourmet food in the neighbourhood, it’s time to move into a bigger space,” Tomaszeski said. “The joy is I get two birds with one stone. I get to keep the space I rent to use for production and make all our delicious food and offerings. And then 1670 [Kingston Road] will be the hub for offering incredible foods, gifts, and gourmet.”
Interior of Corbin Catering & Foods
“People don’t want to go downtown anymore”
When the store opens on Wednesday, Nov. 10, customers will notice a stunning transformation, especially since the space is beautifully decorated for the holidays.
Corbin will continue its line of gourmet takeout and delivery items including everything from soups, salads, entrees, side dishes, charcuterie boards, and share platters.
The new shop will also feature a much wider assortment of packaged foods and pantry items.
With the holidays around the corner, Corbin will be selling mincemeat tarts, sticky toffee pudding, brandy butter, and biscuits from the UK.
There will also be Italian panettone and pasta, truffles from Paris, Greek olive oil, and much more.
In addition, customers can purchase tableware and gift items such as candles, napkins, and serving pieces to add that special touch to their tablescapes.
“The idea is is people don’t want to go downtown anymore,” Tomaszeski said “They don’t want to try to fight the traffic and they don’t want to pay for parking. And our neighbourhood has got such an eclectic group of people that use these products and there’s nowhere for them to get them in our neighbourhood.”
“The Boardroom”
One of the highlights of the new space is “The Boardroom” — a beautiful exposed brick wall decorated with dozens of cheese and charcuterie boards of different textures, shapes and sizes.
Customers can choose a board and Corbin Catering will fill it with a tasty array of imported and domestic cheese and meats. And then they can bring the board back and do it again.
“It’s a showstopper on the table and people love it,” Tomaszeski said. “But now they’re part of the process. Now they get to personalize it. And no different than when you go to Starbucks and give them your favorite coffee mug to refill with coffee, now you’ll be able to take one of the boards that you purchased and bring it to me over and over again and say, “Okay, can you fill it with cheese and charcuterie?”
In 2022, once Corbin gets its liquor license, the brick wall will also serve as a backdrop for a chef’s table experience for private bookings of up to 12 people.
Pandemic pivot
It’s been a difficult couple of years for the retail sector and Tomaszeski has become a master of the pandemic pivot.
The former executive chef at Holt Renfrew, also well known for his appearances on Food Network, launched his catering business in the fall of 2019.
When catering gigs dried up due to the pandemic, Tomaszeski shifted to comfort food takeout and delivery. Next came special holiday meals, a small storefront with specialty items, and “ready to grill” foods for the summer.
He said he feels lucky to still be making a go of it at a time when many businesses have closed.
“Well, listen, we’re not making incredible money, but we’re making enough that we can expand the business and I can have more people work for me and we can service the community better. Am I getting two days off a week and going on vacation? No. I still buy my Lotto Max tickets.”
An assortment of products at Corbin Catering and Foods.
A step on the road to revitalization
The Corbin expansion represents another step in the rejuvenation of Birch Cliff that started more than a decade ago with the Kingston Road Revitalization Study and a shared vision for a “…vibrant, animated, and pedestrian-oriented main street, with new mid-rise, mixed-use buildings, and parks, squares and open spaces that reflect the arts, cultural and heritage attributes of the Birch Cliff community.”
Neglected storefronts that once blighted the neighbourhood are slowly being transformed into successful businesses by people like Daniel and Liana Narraine at the newly opened City Cottage Market, Mike Beck at The Kingston Social House, Matthew Kennedy at Kennedy Catering, Jennifer Narraine at Little Bugs Nursery, Caroline Pius at Luxe Home Decor, Karen Azucar at Salon O, and Olivia Peters at The Birchcliff.
There have been major bumps along the way including the furious ongoing debate over condominiums, but the community has benefitted from higher foot traffic, infrastructure improvements, streetscape enhancements, and rezoning to phase out legacy automotive industries.
Corbin Catering & Foods is now open Tuesday – Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. Sundays from 10 AM to 4 PM. Closed on Mondays.
