lev in the news

Fifth-generation baker Yoni Kamil launched his own Jewish-style bakery from his home in late 2020. It’s now a fully fledged wholesale operation. His challahs and ryes are excellent, but the most coveted items are the golden-brown babkas, which come in classic varieties as well as Lev’s signature chocolate-tahini version, which is studded throughout with big chunks of halva.

Kamil and his wife, Samantha April, named their underground operation Lev Bakery. In Hebrew, “lev” means heart. “Baking comes from the heart for me,” Kamil said. “It’s so deeply ingrained.” Dually, “lev” also resembles the word leaven, the transformative stage in baking when dough rises.

Yoni Kamil’s “modern take on tradition” has paid off big time. The bakery’s Friday pop-ups have been satisfying Toronto’s challah and babka cravings since it launched in November.

Bread, pastries, and something to look forward to.