Post North Toronto
March, 2007 - p58

Return of the King

Super Chef David Lee, to team up with Franco Prevedello

by Ron Johnson

Anyone with even a fleeting history in the Toronto restaurant scene knows Franco Prevedello by name, if not reputation. Considered by many to be the godfather of the current Toronto culinary scene, he stepped back from the business years ago, leaving a legacy that includes the likes of Marc Thuet and David Lee. After working the sidelines, the big man is wading back into the fray with a new signature restaurant.,

If that isn’t enough news to start mouths drooling across the city, to orchestrate his grand return, Prevedello has enlisted old pal David Lee, along with Yannick Bigourdan, the duo behind one of the city’s finest restaurants: Splendido.

“I’ve always kept my nose in it,” says Prevedello, “by helping others get established, but day to day, it was always someone else.”

When space became available at Queen and University, near the city’s new opera house, Prevedello says he approached Lee and Bigourdan about the opportunity.

“It is about finding the right team of people, and these are two very good people that I feel like I can grow with,” says Prevedello.

“I have what they don’t have, and they have what I don’t. David’s cuisine is impeccable. He is a top chef but also a very serious, dedicated person, and so is Yannick. From such a solid base, you can do great things.”

The restaurant will house 100 seats in the dining room with an additional 40 to 50 seats at the bar.

Prevedello, along with a few others, redefined the Toronto scene in the eighties, establishing such culinary temples as Centro and Pronto.

“Myself and a couple of others, we really had a go at it,” laughs Prevedello.

“I’ve done it. Now I’m having fun trying to see if I can give a bit of a new, fresh look to the restaurant business.”

“We have to remember that this is a hospitality business. The hype comes and goes, but we are in the restaurant business not in the movie star business.”

Prevedello says he hopes to have the restaurant open in Summer 2008.