Culinary Trail Experience will highlight Markham’s diverse food culture

By Gene Pereira, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

A trail of diverse culinary tastes from around the world available here in Markham is just around the corner for every food lover in the city and across the globe.

Destination Markham, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the city’s visitor economy, has received a $200,000 investment from the Government of Canada to develop a Culinary Trail Experience that will offer residents and visitors from around the world a unique opportunity to explore local food culture while boosting revenue for local restaurants across the region.

“Markham’s culinary scene is a vibrant mosaic of cultures, traditions, and flavours, and through our food trails, we’re excited to share these stories with travellers from around the globe,” said Andrew Baldwin about the cultural project, which builds upon the success of their flagship event, Jazzlicious Winterfest. “By inviting visitors to savour the warmth and diversity of Markham one plate at a time, we’re showcasing our city not merely as a stopover but as a thriving tourism destination.

“Every dish — rooted in family recipes, rich cultural heritage, or innovative gastronomy — adds depth to the Markham experience. Ultimately, these unique culinary adventures help us welcome more guests and encourage them to explore, enjoy, and return to discover all that Markham has to offer.”

Markham, says Randy Snape, Manager of Stakeholder Relations and Marketing at Destination Markham, is known for its diverse culinary businesses. There are more than 800 restaurants in the city.

“We have every nationality,” said Snape. “We are really a culinary taste of the world in Markham. So, what we want to do is highlight that through the trail. And when we say the trail, we mean a number of different areas that will launch through 2025 that will really highlight the diversity, the ethnicity, the culinary tastes of Markham.”

The federal government is investing in historic sites and tourism projects in York Region so they can create new products and experiences that will help Ontario’s tourism economy flourish for “generations to come.”

Recently, Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced a combined grant of $470,000 through the Tourism Growth Program for three organizations, including Destination Markham, Treetop Trekking Bruce’s Mill, and  Sharon Temple National Historic Site & Museum.

“Tourism businesses and organizations like Sharon Temple National Historic Site & Museum, Treetop Trekking Bruce’s Mill, and Destination Markham offer unique experiences to visitors and locals,” said Tassi. “They are economic drivers in their communities, stimulating job creation and contributing to the region’s overall prosperity.

“The Government of Canada knows the value in supporting tourism businesses and organizations who showcase the unique experiences and attractions Ontario has to offer.”

The Culinary Trail Experience is expected to launch sometime in April to May and even may kick off earlier if all goes well.

“We don’t want to rush it because whenever you rush anything, it becomes a problem,” said Snape. “We want to make sure that the restaurants are ready. We want to have the proper and robust campaign marketing behind it, so the first one will really set an impression and that’s why we want to make sure we’re setting the right impression for it.”

Snape said a lot has gone into the process of highlighting which restaurants will be chosen. Certain criteria standards must be met, and he added they are also trying to “move into the experienced side of things.”

“Because with experience, you’re not just going to have a meal,” he said. “It could be as much as creating your own meal. It could be perhaps a recipe to cook with the chef. It could be some traditional aspect thereof.

“It’s something the restaurants come up with, but we help them through that process. That’s what we’re looking to create long-term. Something that really sets us apart.”

Markham has a wide variety of restaurants serving many different cuisines, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Italian, French, and more.

A dumpling trail is one possibility.

“We’ve looked at everything from burger trails to soup trails, to noodle trails,” added Snape. “There are all sorts of things we can work with, but those are currently under development.”

Since 2015, the federal government, through FedDev Ontario, has invested over $415 million in nearly 1,450 tourism-related businesses and organizations.