When chef Nuit Regular moved from northern Thailand to Toronto, she didn’t plan to become one of the city’s most celebrated culinary figures. Her journey started in health care, not hospitality. She worked as a nurse for nearly a decade before immigrating to Canada, where she expected to continue her medical career. Instead, she found a new way to connect with people through food.

“While I was studying English and preparing to take my Canadian registered nursing exam, an opportunity came up with [my husband] Jeff and his family to open and run a restaurant,” she says. “At first, I thought I would just help out for a year or two before returning to nursing, but by the time I passed my registered nursing exam, the restaurant had taken off.”

That restaurant, Sukhothai, opened in 2008, and with it began a new calling. Regular realized that cooking tapped into the same instincts that once made her a good nurse—attention to detail, discipline, and empathy—but it also gave her a new outlet for expression. “I found so much joy in cooking, connecting with guests, and sharing the flavours and traditions of my Thai culture,” she says.

Today, Nuit and Jeff Regular are at the centre of one of Toronto’s most dynamic restaurant families, with 13 venues spanning six brands. Each one tells a different story of how food intertwines memory, identity, and community. This year brought two very different openings: Tha Phae Tavern, a Thai bar inspired by the city of Chiang Mai’s lively energy, and Makilala, a heartfelt celebration of Jeff ’s Filipino heritage.

“Even though I’m Thai, I also consider myself Filipino now because of my connection to Jeff ’s family,” Regular says. “Creating Makilala was my way of celebrating the flavours, stories, and traditions that I’ve come to know and love over the years.”

That personal thread runs through every dish. Drawing on decades of cooking alongside Jeff ’s mother and extended family, Regular reimagines Filipino classics with the same care and precision she brings to her Thai dishes, striking a balance of sweet, sour, salty, and umami, so each bite feels both familiar and new. “I wanted to honour those traditional flavours while presenting them in a way that feels approachable and exciting for all guests,” she says.

Working on Makilala also pushed her to grow creatively. “It expanded my understanding of how to honour
another culture authentically while still bringing my own perspective as a chef,” she says. “Ensuring every dish told a story, but still felt true to myself and my way of cooking, required a lot of experimentation and learning.”

The restaurant’s design, led by Jeff and his brother Joel, mirrors that blend of heart and heritage. Inspired by barangays, sari-sari stores, and their grandparents’ homes, the space hums with nostalgia and karaoke, a staple of Filipino gatherings. “We’ve had so many Filipino guests tell us that the space reminds them of home, of their childhood, or of their grandparents’ house,” Regular says.

Beyond the menu and decor, Makilala represents the latest expression of how Regular cooks, lives, and connects: guided by care, grounded in purpose, and always open to growth.

“Building this together with Jeff, Joel, and our team, and sharing something so personal with the city, has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career,” she says.

“For me, it’s not just about the food, but also about sharing stories, culture, and family traditions that have been passed down for generations.”

Feature image courtesy of Nuit Regular.