You've got to hand it to Jamie Kennedy; when he finds a successful formula, he sticks to it. Perhaps the most ubiquitous chef/restaurateur in Toronto, Kennedy is also the most restless. There have been a few erroneous reports that the eponymous Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner restaurant was to close its doors for good, but rumours of its demise have been greatly… well, you know. Rather than close the doors to the Gardiner Café, Kennedy continues his successful with-the-times trajectory with casual, local fare.

But Kennedy is not pussy-footing around the fact that the change in the function of his Gardiner space is indeed due to the recession. Kennedy knows sticking to the Kennedy Kitchens' ideology - supporting the community by buying and cooking only local meats and produce – is inherently an expensive habit. But, it is a habit that Kennedy will not kick. TheGardiner Café, serving only local and artisanal products, follows the Chef's dogma, but also cuts costs for the consumer by proffering up items that are more café-oriented; that would be simple (albeit, gourmet style. This is JK, after all) sandwiches, salads, soups, etc.

Eventually, Kennedy believes, more businesses will shift gears toward local products and inevitably the items will have greater distribution and become more cost effective. But, as Jamie says himself, "food is never going to be cheap."

For those who still want the Jamie Kennedy, fine dining experience; worry not, the airy, light filled, contemporary spot hosts 3-course, prix fixe lunches every Friday at 12:00pm in the private dining area and, for a little bonus, the chef himself is present. For $25 the weekly lunch series will include items like steamed asparagus with kozlick mustard sabayon; pistou with white bean and arugula; braised dingo farms beef with broad noodles and pickled wild leek herb; whitefish sauté with radish and onion salad and chervil beurre blanc; rhubarb crisp; or butter tarts.

In addition to the Friday prix fixe lunches, the café plans to make use of its terrace. Throughout the summer, the Toronto restaurant plays host to Scotland with its cocktails on the terrace series. The weekly event features Balvenie single malt whiskeys paired with Chef Kennedy's complimentary creations. For those who are not interested in the manly, smokey flavours of the single malt, full bar service is available, as well as an ever-changing roster of small bites.