The Tempered Room (TTR) is the cleanest run-down premier pâtisserie and boulangerie you’ll ever visit. As most of you know, it produces next level viennoiserie using an unusual lamination technique by day, and is a custom catering company specializing in food art displays by night. It is owned by Greg Laird and Humera Ali, consummate lifelong artists, scientists, chefs, butchers, and bakers, who met and fell in love working illegal amounts of hours pursuing their craft. Their talent and trust was recognized, and unfortunately exploited as happens often in the intense kitchens of big cities. Humera is very indignant at the injustice marinating the pressured events that led to their ownership of what was an broken down and heavily failing business for no less than 11 times its estimable market value. Chef Greg Laird has come a long way since he was misguided into giving up all of his and his partners past and future earnings for over a decade by his former ‘mentor’ Bertrand Alepee (who’s been on a self declared break for years on increasing acres of luxury property, made possible only by completely devastating his employees). Instead of losing their spirit and trust, they look ahead and share their story so the same thing doesn’t happen to any other trusting young hopefuls. We keep secrets and protect those in power far too much out of fear, it’s time to change what’s considered acceptable, even if it’s uncomfortable for the status quo. Chef Greg however can’t help but feel pride when he talks about how Hum had to work every day of her pregnancy, and through being in labour, even though she made terrible jokes the whole time. The day their little chouquette was born, they catered a successful event, and another the day after. Chef Greg ran back and forth from the hospital to the kitchen to events to the dishpit without a wink that whole week, and has never been the same. Luckily, an assembled team of experts directed all his focus solely towards croissants, and to this day you can find him roaming the TTR halls, talking to them. They’ve managed to overcome all odds (including a global pandemic through which their previous owner continued to extricate more money from them than their Queen St. rent) doing what they do best; never saying die and sheer relentless hard work over intense sleepless years, all in high spirits and good humour. The Tempered Room is now known for having the best croissant in Toronto, one of the finest creative and teaching kitchens in the city, French pastry of the highest quality, and people who care deeply about everything they do, everyone around them, and the future of this industry.
