Mission Statement...
A site celebrating the suburban food scene in the 905 geared towards students who have a gourmet pallet but on a hobo’s budget. Yes we know the burbs can be super lame but if there is one thing to do here, its eat. In the midst of the seemingly omnipresent restaurant chains that seem to litter every street corner, there is hope for a better dining experience.
Our goal is to share our thrifty gastronomic adventures with the public in the hopes that they help support our local independent restaurateurs. These small ‘mom n pop’ establishments offer the best quality food possible for reasonable student friendly prices and without your help; they will be run out of town by big chain restaurants.
These hole-in-the-wall joints and dives are so much more than small restaurants. They embody the entrepreneurial spirit that this country was built on. People from all over the world have come here and opened restaurants with cuisine from their native homelands in the hopes of sharing their culture and food with us. There is so much more variety than the continental fare that we are all so bored of and it’s ours to discover.
Sponsors
Special thanks to the Media Generator and Henry’s Cameras for sponsoring HungryHobo.ca, for without their support, this project would haven never gotten off the ground.
THE H TEAM
LEO ANTONIO // Creative Director
So few things on this earth can be considered both good and cheap, especially when it comes to food. New age gastronomes tend to think that one has to pay for quality and they make a valid point. I wish I could eat foie gras or caviar everyday but the truth is I’m a student, and not a very rich one at that. Eating gourmet isn’t very conducive to a student’s lifestyle or bank account . However, I’m a foodie and it kills me not being able to satisfy my culinary urges. The adjectives “good” and “cheap” become of the utmost importance in finding a balance between my passion for fancy meals and my current financial situation. This balance ensures that I eat relatively well (in comparison to my peers who live off of fast food) all the while not breaking the bank on my dining expenses.
If you know me in the real world, you’ve seen how my eyes light up when I introduce you to a new dish or cuisine. I take a perverse pleasure in watching people take a bite of something new that I have suggested. Apparently I’ve garnered quite the reputation as the ‘food guy’. Apologizes to all those I’ve broken bread with throughout the years for taking you out of your comfort zones and into some seedy places. I apologize my dates who’ve had to endure strange food facts during moments of awkward silences (no one really needs to know what head cheese is). I guess discovering new and eclectic restaurants have always been a passion of mine.
The whole HungryHobo concept has been in my head for years and I’ll admit that it has taken some time to get off the ground. With the help of my friends/partners, we hope to create a medium in which we can share our gastronomic adventures and get people excited about food again. As Creative Director (or whatever fancy title I come up with), it is my job to find hidden gems in the community with an emphasis on student friendly pricing. In doing so, I hope to give my peers more varied and exotic dining options all the while promoting local independent restaurateurs.
MARK SHANNON // Single Lens Reflexologist aka Director of Photography
Yes, I have a long title. The simple fact of the matter is that I'm the official photographer for the Hungry Hobo. When presented with an appetizing arrangement of delicious foods - well, most of the time - I make it my absolute goal to capture a visual representation of the tasteful flavours in a single image. As a photographer, much of the equipment used to achieve this end is my own, however a great variety of equipment is generously donated by Henry's cameras for festival use. Regardless of the equipment, however, the primary purpose of this endeavor is to show our readers a variety of tantalizing dishes that they might one day have the pleasure to indulge in.
As for myself, my history as a foodie has been a long and winding road. I've been a fan of various types of foods for as long as I can remember. My mother is Canadian, and my father is Trinidadian. Not many people believe me when I tell them that I'm a white Trinidadian from Mississauga, but my love for authentic cuisine of of all origins, including the West Indian palette, should speak for itself. I remember that instead of pizza for one of my birthday parties at a younger age, I demanded a homemade chicken and potato curry. My friends may not have liked it, but I loved it.
This project provides me with the opportunity to fuse my appetite for photography with my appreciation of delectable cuisine. In this, I am grateful to be a part of the HungryHobo. If the photos, videos, articles, and reviews on this small slice of the internet inspire at least one person to try something new, then I feel I have done my job. More than that, and I will happily stand on the deck of an aircraft carrier and exclaim "Mission Accomplished."
MELANIE GEROCHE // Webmaster and Editor
Yes, you read it right. Webmaster AND Videographer. TWO jobs. Fortunately, they are two things that I love to do. I can spend hours cutting together a film but I do run the risk of forgetting to eat (I forget which number sin this is in the foodie world). Don't worry, I make up for it with the ability to code websites in my sleep.
It's oddly ironic that I've landed a position on this team. I can't really call myself a foodie, nor am I very experienced in the foodie world. I grew up on Filipino and Chinese food with the occasional McDonald's cheeseburger thrown in for good measure. I'm pretty accustomed to having my breakfast, lunch, and dinner with rice and I see absolutely no problem with it. I don't cook very often or very well. I've spent more time figuring out how to showcase the work of my fellow colleagues through this website and videos than exploring the foodie world.
Although, with the kind of love these boys have for food they have managed to drag me to a place or two. From a non-foodie's perspective, I've grown a new respect for the foodie culture. This project has broadened my very short knowledge of food and food culture. I've been graced with the opportunity to step out from behind my computer and try some titillating and inspiring flavours from many different cultures. With this project I'll attempt to add a whole bunch of recipes to my repertoire so that I may be able to spend more than 1 night every 6 months attempting to make dinner.
ERIC NGUYEN // Videographer
Eric here, just a little blurb about myself. I am the main HungryHobo videographer. I believe the way to my heart truly is through my stomach. Love trying new foods, though I can’t deal with spicy cuisine that well. In fact I can’t deal with it at all. I also have a special spot for dessert, can never go to an actual restaurant and not get something sweet. Also used to work at an independent pizza place for a good 5 years and consider myself a pizza connoisseur.
Non-food related, I’m very easy going and love being weird and wacky. Sometimes my brain works too fast and no one knows what I’m talking about but meh. Also I hate being normal and blending in is boring and I can’t stand being bored. So if something comes to mind, more chances than none it doesn’t have enough time to filter before I do it. Oh and also I am generally very energetic and have also done some training in parkour and am always looking for things to climb, jump from and vault over.
As for technical credentials, I Graduated from the Toronto Film School in Film Production and have also picked up photography as a hobby as well. I also attended Second City for a few improv classes and will return in the near future to finish it off. Aside from that, I don’t enjoy leaving things unfinished and believe that that is a very valuable thing to have in the business world.