Drake jumps into mélange of Canadian celebs turning restaurateurs
Beyoncé dropped a surprise album, now Drake has dropped a surprise restaurant.
The rapper reportedly rolled up in a Rolls-Royce to his star-studded party for Fring’s in the heart of the Six on Monday night.
Details are scarce, but Fring’s is said to be a collaboration with celebrity chef Susur Lee and his two sons, who are relatively new to the restaurant game.
Toronto’s very own follows in the footsteps of several fellow Canadian entertainers who have gotten into the brutally competitive food business.
But hey, YOLO right?
Wayne Gretzky
The Great One has a minority stake in a dining room, sports bar and rooftop patio steps away from the Rogers Centre called, um, Wayne Gretzky’s Toronto. The restaurant doesn’t have that many great reviews on Yelp. But the main attraction isn’t the food or even the drinks, but the chance to be in a place owned by a hockey legend. Gretzky’s is basically a shrine to No. 99, which sells Gretzky-branded wine, tank tops, caps and even mugs. If the music money dries up, Drake should consider selling tees with an X through Meek Mill’s face on them and The Six stickers at Fring’s.
Ryan Gosling
Hey girl, did you know London, Ont.’s Ryan Gosling co-founded Tagine Beverly Hills? The restaurant website, for some reason, has a close-up shot of a light bulb instead of one of Gosling’s abs from that Emma Stone movie. The food at the “Moroccan hideaway in Beverly Hills” has gotten solid reviews, but over the years Yelpers have given Gosling bad re- views for not visiting the resto often enough for their taste. Likewise, Fring’s customers are gonna want to see Aubrey Graham and his newly swole physique at his new King West spot like every day, every day.
Céline Dion
The diva from Charlemagne, Que., may be back in Las Vegas these days, but she hasn’t forgotten La Belle Province. She co-founded the mercilessly mocked Nickels restaurant chain in the ’90s. These days, the chanteuse and her husband are reportedly part of a group who own the legendary Schwartz’s Deli in Montreal. When the delicatessen started selling its famous smoked meat in supermarkets, purists were très upset. Hopefully a diss track about Fring’s specialties at Loblaws isn’t in Drake’s future.
Ivan Reitman
If you want some world-famous roast chicken who you gonna call? Ivan Reitman! The Canadian-bred director is part of a group that owns Montecito. When the well-reviewed restaurant opened last year right before the Toronto International Film Festival the owners didn’t shy away from celebrating some of Reitman’s greatest hits. There was even a Baked Alaska on the menu in homage to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters. Perhaps the Lee boys can whip up a Started From the Bottom upside down cake for Fring’s.