We all know how important food is to Drake. From late night eats at Hong Shing, to upscale Italian seafood at Joso’s, The Boy loves his favorite restaurants enough to drop references to them in lyrics and interviews. Maybe Drake was more devastated than we thought when his “second home” Sotto Sotto burned down, because last night in Toronto, he skipped the Polaris Prize Gala in favor of reportedly launching a new business venture.
Now he can add “restaurateur” to his expanding resume, right beside “Global Ambassador.” Drake has reportedly partnered with renowned chef Susur Lee to open Fring’s, a brand new restaurant in the old Crush Wine Bar space at 455 King West in Toronto. Susur is a proven giant in Canadian food, who owns three restaurants in the city already—Lee, Luckee, and Bent, which is run by his two eldest sons, Kai and Levi.
Drake even chose to celebrate his 28th birthday at Bent last year, so you know his admiration for the Lee family’s culinary domination is real. Fring’s is a co-venture between Susur Lee, his sons, and reportedly OVO Gelo. Other sources have mentioned Drake promoting the restaurant's opening on Vine—but he does not have an account. However, he is uploading photos to his Instagram of last night's event.
On opening night, Fring’s was host to a packed house, including Drake’s current ride-or-die flameSerena Williams, the yung gawd Jaden Smith, and Jada Pinkett-Smith. The space itself was transformed, now sporting grandiose lighting fixtures, padded booths, and a sizeable dance floor. Attendees were treated to a sampling of sliders and fries from the restaurant’s still-developing menu. Notably, at the bar, you can either order a “Sweeterman” or a “Wasteman” cocktail, depending on your mood.
One question remains—why is it called Fring's? Is it a nod to the best-of-both-worlds side dish combination of french fries AND onion rings? Is Fring’s a Breaking Bad-themed bar, like some kind of upscale Los Pollos Hermanos? Is this all an elaborate setup so Susur Lee can make a “Hotline Fring” joke on Instagram? Hopefully the answer will reveal itself in due time.
Scroll through some photos of opening night at Fring’s above, via Now Magazine.
