Edible Toronto

The Wonderful Wizard of Plants

• Photo by Aaron Lynett

  Deirdre Fraser works full-time at Pearl Morissette as the Niagara-based winery's plant wizard (her official title), foraging ingredients for co-chefs Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson.

• Fraser calls her garden at Pearl Morissette a “long-term project” and part of the vision for the whole property to have access to a greater range of edible species, increased biodiversity and edible products.

• Having a garden, “means the restaurant can have a whole vernacular of herbs and spices that are not the usual thing,” she says. “And it’s that, combined with the chefs’ amazing techniques, that can make the dish intriguing.”

• The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette.