A native of the province of Ontario, Canada, Chef Jeremy Austin started his culinary journey at the Culinary Arts Italian program at Toronto's George Brown College. He continued his career in various establishments within the province, further afield in Canada, as well as in Italy and China.

After globetrotting to hone his craft, he returned to Canada and opened The Pine with his wife Cassie in Collingwood, a smaller town little more than two hours north of Toronto. It opened in 2020 during the pandemic and offered a multi-course Canadian-driven tasting menu. They have since relocated to a larger space in nearby Creemore, while still offering creative Chinese-inspired cooking informed by local ingredients.

The Pine has been going from strength to strength in its existence. From climbing up the Canada's 100 Best Restaurants every year since 2022, to winning a Michelin one-star in 2024 - it has been steadily progressing in the culinary world.

In this episode, Chef Austin talked about how he thinks about using luxurious ingredients, what reminds him of growing up at his grandparents' farm while working in Italy, why anyone would start a restaurant during a global pandemic and more.

Don't miss these Stoveside Stories - and bon appetit!