ABOUT

My name is Logan Withers and I am the chef/owner of Neighbourhood Private Dining. I have been cooking professionally for over 10 years with varied experience and expertise.

I began my cooking journey at Fanshawe College in the Culinary Arts program, and began work shortly after, working my way up the ranks over the next 3 years. I then moved to Australia where I worked at various venues offering New Australian cuisine. I was mentored on natural wines and elevated cocktails in a restaurant that is consistently awarded as having one of the best wine programs in Australia. I was able to meet with and discuss wines with various winemakers at the forefront of the natural and biodynamic movement in Australia. I was exposed to a wide range of ingredients not only native to Australia, but also around the globe; including crocodile, emu, kangaroo, camel, Morton Bay bugs, marron, limitless seafood, and a long list of produce and herbs. I was exposed to alternative protein sources such as tyrant ants, green ants, and honeybees. I worked primarily in degustation menu restaurants from this point forward, including pop-ups in Art Galleries in collaboration with local artists while in Brisbane. I was involved in the opening of a boutique hotel with 5 dining venues, and helped open a two-hatted restaurant before leaving Australia to come back to Toronto.

Upon arrival in Toronto I worked at two restaurants that were included on the Canada’s 100 list of the best restaurants in Canada. First at Actinolite Restaurant, and later Canis. While I was at Canis we were featured by “World’s 50 Best” and ranked #15 on the Canada’s 100 list; Actinolite has been a staple on the Top 100 list for almost a decade. Canis was a new Canadian tasting menu only restaurant known for dry-aged duck, house ferments including various misos; garums; soy sauces; koji; and preserves, and at the forefront of the chef-driven restaurant landscape. Actinolite is also a tasting menu only restaurant, with an intense focus on hyper-seasonal and local produce, foraging, creating relationships with artisan producers and farmers, and respecting each product in the most maximal way possible.

Since returning to London I have stepped back from full-time commercial positions, opting instead to consult and freelance at various venues. I am involved as a freelance chef with a private-dining company in Toronto called The Fare Food Co, as well as local restaurants in London. I have been offering private experiences for the past 4 years, but just recently have decided to advertise my services publicly to grow that business. I offer extremely flexible and customizable experiences that range from casual to avant garde; including wood-fire pizza, pre-made desserts and canapés, and large format catering, to more involved degustation menus with optional beverage pairings—but that is not all. There is very little that I cannot provide, so reaching out to discuss your needs is always the best place to start in tailoring an experience to fulfil your event needs. There are options available to fit every taste and every budget. If it relates to food—Neighbourhood has you covered.

I started Neighbourhood Private Dining to give clients access to experiences that they won’t find anywhere else. Neighbourhood’s values are centred on providing exciting, approachable, and unique food; and making sure it is accessible to everyone. Your neighbourhood is a place that you feel comfortable, welcome, and an essential sense of belonging; and it is my hope that Neighbourhood Dining can make you feel just as at-home while providing experiences that exceed all of your wildest expectations.