Manning Canning runs dedicated rental kitchen in Leaside

At Andy Elder’s Grilltime meat store Saturday there was both nibbling and outright snacking of sirloin slices accented with spicy strawberry jam. There were also popular tasty bits of beef with dried tomato mustard and spicy pickled carrots to liven things up. Christine Manning, the creator of these goodies and many jams, jellies and marmalades was saying that she also runs Toronto’s first dedicated rental commercial kitchen space. It’s a business model that flows from the time Christine was getting started. Obtaining rental kitchen time from other businesses was one of her greatest challenges. The availability of the kitchen is critical when you are making food from fresh local crops. When she took the leap of renting space on her own at 105 Vanderhoof Ave Unit 8 in Leaside, Christine realized that rental space was important to others. Now Manning Canning operates both a 24/7 availability rental facility plus a kitchen that does her own cooking. Christine is using that kitchen two to three days a week on average. For the rest of the time, it also for rent. Some products (like spicy pickled carrots) are made on a regular schedule all year long. Ontario preserved peaches are only made during the Niagara season. The kitchens see other food makers creating everything from hot sauces to iced tea. Christine Manning has spread the availability of her products to as many as 30 retail shops and stores stretching from the City of Winnipeg to Eastern Ontario.  She also sells online. One of her first and most successful outlets was Grilltime at 62 Laird Drive at the corner of Kenrae Rd. There is pretty much always parking behind the store.