Anthony Bourdain’s life is getting the Hollywood treatment this month in Matthew Johnson’s biopic Tony. We caught up with Beast Pizza’s Scott Vivian, the Toronto chef who catered a post-show VIP event for Bourdain at Massey Hall in 2010. It was there that Vivian made the case for Toronto as a destination worthy of Bourdain’s attention — a pitch that ultimately helped land the city on The Layover.
We sat down with Vivian to talk about that memorable night, Bourdain’s lasting impact on Toronto’s restaurant scene and what it feels like to watch his friend’s legacy come to the big screen.
When you approached Anthony at Massey Hall after a few Steam Whistles and told him Toronto had to be on his list, what did he say?
Tony said if he had the chance, he would come back and check Beast out. I explained to him that I wasn’t trying to promote my restaurant and that I just wanted the opportunity to show him how special Toronto’s diverse culinary scene was. I think that resonated with him and he said that when the opportunity presented itself he would come back and “do TV” with me.
With Matt Johnson’s Tony hitting theatres this month, there’s a huge wave of nostalgia for Anthony’s early days. Looking back at his Toronto visit for The Layover, what was he like when the cameras weren’t rolling?
He was basically the same on and off camera. Calm, collective, well spoken. He just has this aura of coolness to him. He was a bit hungover the day we filmed, so there was that too!
If Matt Johnson walked into your restaurant right now and asked for one piece of advice on making the kitchen scenes in the film look and feel real, what would you tell him?
I would tell him to spend some time in professional kitchens before, during, and after service. I realize that the standard depiction of fire and yelling and chaos is what makes for exciting moments, but there are a lot of kitchens (Beast Pizza included) that run fairly calm like a well oiled machine.
If you were giving Anthony a 48-hour whirlwind tour of Toronto today, what are three or four Toronto restaurants you know he would have absolutely obsessed over today?
I think he would love Sunnys Chinese. Partly because it is in the former Cold Tea which he featured on The Layover Toronto and mainly because of their attention to detail for regional Chinese cuisine. Barberians Steakhouse would be another. I think he would really appreciate and embrace the historic feel of the room as well as appreciate chef Jesse’s honest cooking. I would definitely take him to Lake Inez. The vibe they create there is perfect and the food is original, whimsical, and f**kin’ delicious. We would spend a day on Geary Ave as well. Lunch at Familia Baldassarre (best pasta in the city) a beer afterwards at Blood Brother’s, an ice cream at Good Behaviour, dinner at General Public (with Jen Agg of course), and finishing the night off with some wobbly pops at The Greater Good.
Tony didn’t eat at Beast on-screen, but the “Bourdain Bump” still packed your dining room for years. Since then, Toronto’s food scene and Beast itself have evolved — including your pivot to Beast Pizza. If Tony walked into your kitchen today, what would you serve him to show where you and the city are in 2026?
You once mentioned that you will always remember Tony for treating everyone as equals, saying, ‘At the end of the day, we’re all just cooks.’ In an industry that now heavily chases Michelin stars and social media clout, how do you keep that grounded, no-nonsense mentality alive at Beast?
I think the philosophy at Beast has always been making sure hospitality and the quality of the food are number one. Otherwise, we try not to take ourselves too seriously. Creating a fun environment for our staff and patrons is our day to day goal. If the accolades come it’s an added bonus, but we are not chasing them. We just want guests to have a kick ass time!
What’s the single best piece of advice Tony ever gave you that you still think about today?
He always stressed the importance of making sure I did things on my terms. Never to stray from my beliefs on how the restaurant operates. We never spoke about work/life balance, but I know he would be proud of me accomplishing that.
