Toronto-born actor and comedian Will Arnett may have traded the GTA for Los Angeles years ago, but we now have proof that Canadian comfort food lives rent-free in his head!
In the latest episode of Hot Ones, the former Arrested Development actor veered into burger talk and gave a loving nod to Harvey’s, specifically calling the chain’s signature Big Harv “the Cadillac of cheeseburgers.” When host Sean Evans asked the actor what the allure of the Big Harv is, Arnett said that there’s just something about the way the burger is grilled.
Harvey’s, for its part, was totally into the unexpected celeb endorsement.
“When @arnettwill calls you the ‘Cadillac of cheeseburgers,’ you gladly accept the honour,” the brand wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday.
While it’s easy to assume any big fast-food name must be imported, Harvey’s is surprisingly about as homegrown as it gets! The brand traces its roots back to 1959, when founder Richard Mauran opened the first Harvey’s in Richmond Hill, Ont. (complete with a repurposed “Harvey’s” sign he bought from a closing car dealership). Today, the chain is still Canadian-owned and operated, with a made-your-way toppings line (like their famous pickles and spicy Ghost Pepper sauce) that’s basically part of its identity.
Harvey’s is also part of Recipe Unlimited’s roster of restaurant brands, putting it in the same Canadian corporate family as other iconic names like Swiss Chalet, St-Hubert and Olive Garden (which is making its return to Ontario this summer with new locations in the GTA and Ottawa).
Arnett didn’t appear to name-drop any other Ontario eateries in the episode, and honestly, it’s hard to top a Big Harv cameo while you’re munching through super spicy wings!
But he did shout out Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre, noting that he started taking acting classes there at age 16 and was decades younger than some of the other actors there. “It was a good sort of trial by fire,” he explained.
Arnett also stated that he’s “really proud of being Canadian” and spoke briefly about being inducted into the Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2019.
If you’re looking to see more Arnett, he co-hosts the popular podcast SmartLess alongside fellow veteran actors Sean Hayes and Jason Bateman.
