Julian Iliopoulos

Tanto, 74 Ossington Avenue, Toronto, tantorestaurant.com

“I was fortunate enough to be raised by people who liked to cook real food rather than opening a box,” says Julian. “My dad is a very good cook and when I go round and see him he still does the majority of the cooking. My mom and step-dad are also great in the kitchen—and with the barbecue in the backyard. Growing up with them, we always included steak in a specialoccasion meal.

“Bavette is a cut that I’ve come to love as I’ve grown older. It’s the perfect balance of full flavour and a texture I like to call ‘a pleasant chew.’ We have it on the menu at Tanto, though we cook it over a wood fire there. Travelling around South America before we opened Tanto, I found many different styles of chimichurri. This one is inspired by Argentina but also shows my own perspective.”