TIFF’s Festival Street is about to get a delicious makeover: a 60-foot sushi bar will line King St. West this Friday, serving up an unforgettable Omakase experience in the middle of TIFF’s opening weekend.
The one-night-only event kicks off at 5 p.m., transforming the northwest corner of King and John streets — right outside TIFF Lightbox — into a sprawling sushi counter. Festival-goers will be invited to sample dishes in the heart of the action.
The pop-up celebrates the world premiere of Still Single, a feature-length documentary that follows Canada’s only two-star Michelin chef, Masaki Saito — from his roots in rural Japan to his reign as one of Toronto’s most celebrated culinary innovators.
The spectacle brings together more than a dozen chefs from his MSSM restaurant in Yorkville. Guests will get a chance to experience Saito’s meticulous approach to Omakase, a style that has redefined fine dining in the city.
FROM SCREEN TO STREET
While the sushi bar will captivate crowds outside, Still Single takes viewers inside Saito’s world.
Directed by Jamal Burger and Jukan Tateisi, the film skips the usual polished style of food documentaries and instead offers an energetic, unfiltered look at Chef Saito and his talent in the kitchen.
Saito, originally from Hokkaido, Japan, is known for his mastery of sushi, with a background in marine biology. He earned two Michelin stars in New York at Sushi Ginza Onodera and now holds the same honour at Toronto’s Sushi Masaki Saito, making him the only chef to achieve this distinction.
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The documentary captures not only Saito’s artistry and relentless pace but also the network of people who sustain his vision — family and friends from Japan, suppliers sourcing rare ingredients, and staff who juggle their own ambitions while supporting his craft.
As his career accelerates, new ventures and rising expectations heighten the documentary, creating a vivid, candid look at one of Toronto’s most celebrated culinary figures.
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