Executive chef William Kresky is reimagining the classic brasserie at The Four Seasons Toronto.
Something extraordinary is happening at Café Boulud. Executive Chef William Kresky, the talented young Canadian now at the helm of the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto’s signature brasserie, is redefining the beloved restaurant’s traditions for a new generation.
“At Café Boulud, we honour the spirit of French cooking while reimagining the classics,” explains Kresky. “I’m inspired by the heritage of French cuisine — the techniques, the discipline, the icons — but also by the stories that hyper-seasonal Ontario ingredients allow us to tell. We push ourselves to source the very best Canadian produce available, and that quality fuels the creativity in our kitchen.”
Day trips to local farms allow Chef to personally select which meats he chooses to serve, with whole animals delivered to his kitchens and butchered on site. One beneficiary is Café Boulud’s dedicated in-house charcutier who prepares heritage pork to create an elevated version of saucisson Lyonnaise baked in house-made brioche — just one item from his ambitious charcuterie program. For their traditional canard rôti, Chef Kresky dry-ages ducks from Ontario’s family-owned farm, King Cole Ducks in Stouffville.
An example of a reimagined French classic is the organic salmon Chaud-Froid. Traditionally served with a rich, cream-glazed preparation, Chef Kresky’s rendition begins with lightly cured and gently smoked salmon, cooked just until the proteins set creating a delicate texture and clean, pure flavour. The dish’s signature creaminess remains through a wasabi crème fraîche, balanced by a vivid dressing of fresh Granny Smith apples, sorrel, and tarragon for brightness and herbaceous lift. The result is a dish that feels effortlessly light yet rooted in tradition—an elegant, modern expression perfectly suited to the freshness of spring and the warmth of summer.
Word is spreading quickly about Chef Kresky’s work. Top Canadian and international chefs are visiting for collaborative pop‑up dinners, turning the restaurant into a hub of creative culinary exchange. Recent events have featured Rob Feenie of Vancouver’s Le Crocodile, François‑Emmanuel Nicol of Quebec City’s Tanière3, and Baker Hsu from L’Abattoir in Vancouver. Next on the horizon is Chef Guillaume Galliot of Caprice, the acclaimed three‑Michelin‑star restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.
Daniel Boulud himself, the world-famous chef and restaurateur behind Café Boulud, drops by throughout the year to see how his protégé is doing. The answer is clear. The combination of deep-rooted traditional French cooking, highly refined technique, and hyper-local, seasonal ingredients is electrifying. Thanks to Chef Kresky and his team, dining at Café Boulud is one of the best culinary experiences this city has to offer.
Coconut panna cotta, blood orange sorbet, kumquat marmalade, lime meringue
Dover Sole with Saskatchewan chanterelles, braised leeks and vermouth cream
Chilled green asparagus soup, soft poached egg, peas, tarragon, brioche crouton
Coconut panna cotta, blood orange sorbet, kumquat marmalade, lime meringue
Dover Sole with Saskatchewan chanterelles, braised leeks and vermouth cream
Chilled green asparagus soup, soft poached egg, peas, tarragon, brioche crouton
Partner Content: Four Seasons Hotel Toronto
