Chef Scott Roberts - Tango

Scott Roberts was born in 1988, and raised in Markham, Ontario. He first came to Kingston to attend Queen's University's Commerce Program. In his second year of university, cooking quickly turned from a hobby, to a downright obsession. His analytical background drove him to research the "How's" and "Why's" of cooking, and learn how to handle every ingredient he encountered. His life was permanently changed upon receiving Thomas Keller's famed, "The French Laundry Cookbook," as a gift. Keller's stories, exacting recipes, and through explanations, fed his need for answers, and fuelled his desire to learn more. A third year exchange to Helsinki, Finland , provided Scott with the opportunity to work with some of the finest seafood in the world. He fell in love with the delicate style of cuisine taking over the Nordic culinary landscape; one that showcased the finest cultivated and foraged ingredients the land and sea had to offer. Upon returning to Canada that summer, Scott decided to give professional cooking a try, and walked into  Toronto's Auberge du Pommier with nothing more than a portfolio of dishes he had cooked in Finland, and a dream of one day becoming a chef. His first few shifts during Toronto's busy Summerlicious Food Festival thrust him into the very same adrenaline-fueled team environment he had so thoroughly enjoyed as a child playing team sports.

He returned to Kingston to finish his fourth year at Queen's. Throughout his final year of university, Scott worked full-time at AquaTerra, fine-tuning his culinary foundations and techniques. Upon graduation, he continued his culinary pursuits at AquaTerra, contributing frequently to the weekly Table D'Hote tasting menu, and developed close supply relationships with the farmers and purveyors around the Kingston area.

After a year and a half at AquaTerra, Scott left Canada to pursue culinary training abroad, spending two months at one of the premier dining destinations in the United States, the three-Michelin starred, L₂O, in Chicago. At L₂O, Scott was re-united with the impeccably fresh seafood he had fell in love with in Finland. It was here that he learned "the push": an ethos of continuous improvement, and an uncompromising standard of excellence.

He comes to Tango ready to make his mark on the culinary world with an exciting cuisine revolving around a balance and harmony of flavour, texture and temperature. His food is elegant, yet simple ;  innovative, yet approachable, comfortable, and familiar. He derives his inspiration from classical cuisine, and the natural world around him, always striving to showcase beautiful ingredients in exciting ways.  H e hopes to develop Tango into a cohesive union of food and drink, and looks forward to evolving the concept in new directions.

To experience Chef Robert's cuisine, please visit Tango