The press release for our TIFF Bell Lightbox restaurants has been sent out! To download the PDF, please click here.

For Immediate Release
July 27, 2010

OLIVER & BONACINI TO OPEN TWO NEW UNIQUE CONCEPT RESTAURANTS AND A ROOFTOP EVENT SPACE AT TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX

O&B offerings at the new home of Toronto International Film Festival to include casual and fine dining, bar lounge, take-away and catering

Toronto, ON Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants will soon open O&B Canteen and Luma at TIFF Bell Lightbox, with a large scale event space, Malaparte to follow later this fall. Situated at the north-west corner of King and John Streets in the heart of the entertainment district, the new concepts are the result of the dynamic partnership between Peter Oliver and Chef Michael Bonacini, the team responsible for some of Toronto’s most celebrated restaurants. “We’re honoured to have been selected to be a part of this unique, exciting project”, says Peter Oliver. “The vision shown by The Daniels Corporation, Reitman Family and TIFF in conceiving of this remarkable centre has been an inspiration to us, and we’re prepared to devote all of our energies towards creating dining experiences worthy of it.” To ensure a perfect design fit, the company enlisted world renowned architectural firm KPMB (Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects), architects of TIFF Bell Lightbox, to create the restaurant interiors.

O&B’s contribution to the complex will include a café and grab-and-go style restaurant, a fine dining restaurant with a bar lounge, and a rooftop event space and terrace. O&B will also provide catering for the facility, to include many TIFF hosted events. Executive Chef Jason Bangerter (of Auberge du Pommier) will direct culinary operations for both eateries, presenting local, artisanal cuisine at Luma and more simple, familiar fare at O&B Canteen. Included will be O&B’s house baked breads by artisan baker David Wilson and freshly prepared take-away meals. “We’re going to have a wide range of visitors, neighbours and entertainment district patrons frequenting our restaurants, so we’ve created a variety of culinary experiences with a lot of accessibility”, says Jason Bangerter.

O&B Canteen
The main level O&B Canteen is a 3,500-square-foot bistro style restaurant offering a combination of seated à la carte, al fresco and take-away dining. “It is designed as an extension of the street with an extensive outdoor café under a long protective canopy,” says designer Bruce Kuwabara. “There will be space for 90 on simple banquettes and a large communal table, with an additional 70 on the patio.” The space will be full of light, life and bustle, informed by its vibrant neighbourhood and the adjoining Lightbox lobby. O&B Canteen will open in mid August, offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night dining seven days a week.

Luma
Diners can opt for a more upscale dining experience at Luma, the second level 8,000-square-foot restaurant and bar lounge that seats about 230, with an additional 50 on the terrace. Comfortable, stylish and relaxed, it is designed with rich woods, leather and stone, as well as floor to ceiling views of King Street West. “The menu is still a work in progress but expect globally inspired Canadian cuisine, with emphasis on local, farm-to-table ingredients. We want it to be a great of reflection of TIFF’s personality”, says Michael Bonacini. “The long wrap around bar at the entrance will be the place to meet, linking the restaurant with the more casual lounge,” says Kuwabara. With seating for 100, including a window bar, the lounge will be sponsored by BlackBerry (RIM), one of TIFF’s major sponsors. Luma is scheduled to open in late August and will serve lunch and dinner daily.

Malaparte
The sixth floor event space, which opens in November, will feature a breathtaking cityscape view, with seating for 200. The adjoining rooftop terrace and outdoor amphitheatre is reminiscent of the roof of Villa Malaparte in Capri where Jean-Luc Godard shot Le Mépris. Interior designer Anacleto Design plans sophisticated textures, with shimmer and elegance, perfect for exclusive private events and star-studded TIFF soirées. Executive Chef Jamie Meireles of Oliver & Bonacini Events will direct the cuisine for Malaparte, as well as all onsite facility catering.

Restaurant reservations will soon be available through opentable.com. For information about Malaparte event space, contact Oliver & Bonacini Events at events@oliverbonacini.com, +1 416 364 1211.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Theresa Suraci, Oliver & Bonacini, +1 416 485 8047 x 228
theresa.suraci@oliverbonacini.com, http://twitter.com/Oliver_Bonacini