Community support, connection a key priority for Corbin Catering and Foods on Kingston Road

By JULIA SAWICKI

Corbin Tomaszeski grew up in Alberta, a self-described farm boy, coming from a large family that loved getting together.

Whether it was holidays or birthdays, there was always a group, and Tomaszeski knew that where there was a group, there would be food. More notably, he learned that if you cooked, people would show up.

“The food obviously was delicious and I enjoyed it,” he explained. “But I understood, even at that age, the impact it has on bringing people together.”

Those celebrations and that togetherness inspired decades of work as a chef.

Since he began his career, Tomaszeski has had a multitude of triumphs, from being featured on the Food Network and creating a cookbook, to crafting recipes, expanding his culinary techniques and eventually running his own catering company right on Kingston Road — Corbin Catering and Foods.

The company is a culinary powerhouse, catering everything from small get-togethers to extravagant weddings, with all cuisines and styles incorporated to fit any occasion and need, while the store itself is filled with the scents of freshly prepared dinners, lunches, snacks and pastries.

Tomaszeski went to culinary school thinking he would cook until he figured out what he really wanted to do. Instead, he fell in love with the industry, becoming a top student and apprentice, training under European chefs, excelling within the militant expectations of the kitchen and his teachers.

“I’m a person that thrives on structure, order, and organization. It fell very naturally for me.”

That mindset would prove useful when he moved beyond the kitchen and into business.

Tomaszeski learned about food waste, costs and yields early in his career, while his family had already taught him the practical lessons when it came to managing money.

“I love operations, I love the ins and outs of it,” said Tomaszeski. “The most obvious component of running a food business is having good food. That’s the minimum requirement. Just because you like to cook, doesn’t mean you can run a business. One thing I’ve always given myself credit for, is I’m good at managing both.”

With people less willing to eat out, and with more options than ever when they do, Tomaszeski knows that understanding and connecting with what customers look for is vital.

He said the customer always has to come first, and that running a food business requires constant attention and adaptation. He works alongside his team, testing and working through everything with them to stay fresh and keep people coming back.

“I’m constantly changing, which at times will drive my team crazy, but it allows us to adapt to better suit our customers’ needs, but most importantly, satisfy that creative soul that I have,” said Tomaszeski.

That hands-on approach extends beyond the kitchen. Tomaszeski said he works alongside his team in whatever needs to be done, from shovelling snow to preparing food, creating a workplace where everyone contributes to the business.

Tomaszeski came into the Birch Cliff Village community in 2019, with a full catering event business. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he changed directions to adapt, allowing customers to order food online, with a “back to the basics” business model, focusing on comfort foods.
The pivot quickly gained traction.

As people were stuck at home and had fewer places to turn when it came to eating out, Tomaszeski found a demand for the affordable, comforting dining options people missed. The idea grew, with people pulling up or walking by, and taking home a warm, home-cooked meal.

As restrictions were lifted, Tomaszeski was faced with another challenge: balancing the growing grab-and-go food business with his established catering operation. The two were outgrowing his previous space.

He considered getting rid of the commerce and shop side of his business but faced pushback from the community that had grown to love the reliable, and delicious ready-made meals.

“The villagers came, and said, ‘No, you can’t get rid of it. You’ve got to keep it.’”

So, he listened. And that need helped lead Tomaszeski to the space his business occupies today, where he could expand to both catering, prepared foods and beyond.

With a larger store, Corbin began incorporating home goods, perfect for a dinner party, or private event, with everything from linen tablecloths to high-quality candle sticks.

But the store is also deliberately designed to keep people curious.

Inventory is purchased in smaller quantities, and displays are constantly changing. “This store never looks the same,” he said.

While he takes pride in everything Corbin Catering and Foods provides, Tomaszeski’s favourite layer of the business is the In Good Company Dinner, named after his cookbook, In Good Company.

The In Good Company Dinner lets him and his team take over, coming in to create “The ultimate in Good Company experience.”
Corbin’s provides staffing, the menu, drinks, and table decor. The customer is only responsible for providing a date, guests, and, ideally, a table and chairs. Everything else is handled by Tomaszeski and his team.

“It becomes this really intimate dining experience that nobody’s doing in the city,” he said. “Typically, I try to keep it as an element of surprise, so I don’t tell people the menu until they sit down. People really love it.”

Connection and community are really the heart of the business for Tomaszeski.

While he has lived in the neighbourhood for 26 years, he noticed that the East End has a small-town feel despite being part of Toronto, with residents looking out for one another, and being deeply interconnected.

That importance of togetherness has also shaped how Tomaszeski gives back. Corbin Catering and Foods has partnered with a variety of local initiatives, sponsoring sports teams, making baskets for schools, working with SickKids, and participating in the Centre 55 Soup Supreme competition, where he took home the silver ladle.

The company has donated to the food bank every week since it opened and has provided food to people experiencing homelessness.

For Tomaszeski, giving back is not just a business strategy. It’s a part of the responsibility that comes with being part of a community.

“Whether you have a business or not, our responsibility is to help each other out,” he said. “And if there’s someone in need, they know that Corbin and his team are going to do it, and we enjoy doing it.”

Corbin Catering and Foods is located at 1670 Kingston Rd. For more info, please visit www.corbincateringandfoods.com