Shake Shack Canada is bringing some Michelin magic to their menu — thanks to the influence of one of Toronto’s most popular restaurants. The fast food joint announced a limited-time culinary collaboration with David Schwartz and Braden Chong, the chefs behind MIMI Chinese. The Yorkville restaurant was previously included on Toronto’s Michelin Guide for two years in a row.
Next month, Torontonians can enjoy regionally inspired Chinese flavours at all Shake Shack locations across the city. For a limited time, three new menu items will be added to the chain’s classic menu of burgers, hot dogs, shakes and fries, as part of the launch, which will be Shake Shack Canada’s first ever chef collaboration.
“Through this one-of-a-kind culinary experience, we are proud to introduce three new delicious menu items inspired by our roots in fine dining and emphasis on premium ingredients, which we can’t wait for our guests to enjoy!” Billy Richmond, Business Director of Shake Shack Canada, said in a statement.
Shake Shack only opened in Canada in the summer of 2024 at Yonge and Dundas, but they’ve seen plenty of success since then — the American chain quickly announced the launch of two more locations, one at Yorkdale and one at Union Station, later in the year. The brand is no stranger to bringing some Canadian influence to the menu, as their Toronto launch included some Canadian-exclusive menu items such as the Maple Salted Pretzel Shake.
The new creations will be bringing even more Canadian flavours to the menu, with the help of MIMI Chinese’s high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. Keep an eye out for these three new menu items:
- Málà chicken sandwich: Expect the signature má (numbing) and là (spicy) sensation through MIMI Chinese’s house-made chilli oil, charred scallion relish, green chilli mayo, kosher pickles, lettuce and crispy fried chicken (inspired by the Sichuan classic La Zi Ji).
- Shaokao fries: A nod to Chinese street food and night market barbecue! These crinkle-cut fries are dusted with a blend of cumin, chilli, and Sichuan peppercorn. Served with green chilli mayo.
- Black sesame coconut shake: This reimagined shake is a throwback to traditional Chinese dessert soups and the nostalgic Cantonese treat Tang Yuan. Expect a blend of black sesame paste with vanilla frozen custard for a sweet, nutty, and slightly bitter finish.
“These collaborative dishes with Shake Shack are an example of how food is constantly evolving; trends and preferences change over time,” Chong, executive chef of MIMI Chinese said. “At MIMI Chinese our priority is to represent Chinese food in the best way we can and this collaboration with Shake Shack is another opportunity to do exactly that.”
Bonus: As part of this collaboration, part of the proceeds will be donated to the Fort York Food Bank, helping to support Torontonians experiencing food insecurity.
The limited-edition menu will be available at all three Shake Shack locations across Canada — Yonge & Dundas, Union Station and Yorkdale Shopping Centre — as well as exclusively on Skip from May 13 – May 26.
