Personalized catering and soon take-out steps from St. James campus

“I knew I didn’t want to work in a restaurant. I always wanted to do my own thing,” said Alanna Fleischer, founder of The Edible Story.

While doing her studies at the chef’s school at George Brown College, she met Brian Cheng. Later on, she started catering out of her house, Cheng would help out, then cooking classes came into place and eventually it got so busy they both decided they needed their own kitchen.

Although The Edible Story doesn’t operate as a regular café, take-out lunch options are in the future plans. In the meantime, Freischer and Cheng are sharing their experience with George Brown students.

Professor Philip Eng brought students from the post-graduate small business entrepreneurship program for lunch on Dec. 11. The students tasted fresh made in-house curry eggplant squash, flank steak with nori mayo, a fish pie and some pasta. They also had an opportunity to learn about running a small business in Toronto from the owners, surrounded by cookbooks, kitchen utensils and the smells of spices and food.

Founded in 2013, The Edible Story brings together Fleischer and Cheng’s own experiences and preferences along with the season to create, according the their website, “personalized menus that go far beyond a typical dinner fare.”

Not only are all menus personalized, but also allergies and meal restrictions are accommodated.

“We do a lot of things really well and I don’t think we have a signature yet,” said Fleischer, adding that her favourite things to cook are pastas and risottos.

The urban, yet cozy, location right off Sherbourne Street will comfortably seat 42 guests or up to 75 people standing.

For Fleischer, non-stop stress and long hours are the hardest part of running a business. She also said that she is doing what she loves. “We are feeding people and making them happy, and that makes us feel good.”

Location: The Edible Story 320 Richmond Street E, Unit 105