Toronto’s Hannah Kim Launches By Reservation Only Podcast With Chef Alvin Leung
Toronto-born entrepreneur Hannah Kim is putting food at the centre of a new interview series. But restaurant talk is only the starting point. Her podcast, By Reservation Only, connects personal taste with stories about culture, careers and identity.
GLORY Media announced the show for October 26, 2026. The debut episode features Alvin Leung, the chef behind Hong Kong’s Bo Innovation and the personality known as the Demon Chef.
For Toronto listeners, the draw is the mix of local connections and international careers. The first episode is already listed on Apple Podcasts, with further conversations planned for season one.
By Reservation Only: Quick Details
- Podcast: By Reservation Only with Hannah Kim
- Host: Hannah Kim, Toronto-born creative and entrepreneur
- Announced launch: October 26, 2026
- Debut guest: Chef Alvin Leung
- Format: Interview series about food, heritage, fashion, travel and personal identity
- Listening options: Apple Podcasts and the official RSS.com podcast page
The Podcast Uses Food to Start Bigger Conversations
At first glance, a title like By Reservation Only suggests dining rooms and hard-to-book tables. The actual idea is broader. Kim wants to know what people’s favourite meals, family routines and travel habits say about them.
A conversation might begin with an ingredient someone grew up eating. From there, it can turn to career decisions, cultural traditions or changing ideas about success. The format leaves space for chefs, designers, entertainers and other guests with stories tied to food.
The show also considers luxury from a personal perspective. Rather than focusing only on expensive meals, it asks how memory, relationships and place influence what people value.
This is not a restaurant review podcast or a guide to Toronto menus. Instead, Kim uses the dining table as a starting point for interviews about creativity, belonging and everyday choices.
Chef Alvin Leung Opens the First Episode
The opening interview puts Alvin Leung across from Kim. Leung built his reputation at Bo Innovation in Hong Kong, where his approach to Chinese cuisine challenges familiar rules. His Demon Chef nickname has followed him well beyond the kitchen.
According to the official episode description, Leung discusses his move from engineering into the restaurant business. He also addresses the limits of passion as a business strategy. Mentorship and the personal meaning of success are part of the discussion too.
Toronto gets a place in the conversation. The episode listing points to Leung’s thoughts on the city’s multicultural dining scene. It also mentions The Leo, his chophouse in Markham, giving GTA listeners a nearby connection to his career.
The episode runs about 47 minutes, according to Apple Podcasts. It offers a practical introduction to the series: career decisions and personal history sit alongside food and the ideas behind it.
Who Is Hannah Kim?
Kim’s own career spans several fields. Born and raised in Toronto, she worked as an educator with the Toronto District School Board before moving into fashion and entrepreneurship.
She later co-founded a sustainable accessories business offering vegan handbags and other pieces designed in Seoul. Her move from the classroom to business helps explain the range of guests she hopes to speak with.
Her interest in travel and dining also shapes the questions she asks. Kim wants to move beyond what someone orders and hear how family, heritage and personal history influence their tastes.
‘Food is one of the most revealing ways to understand someone,’ Kim says in the announcement. That idea gives the interviews room to cover both professional ambition and the relationships people carry into their work.
The Toronto Team Behind the Series
By Reservation Only joins the GLORY Podcast Network, part of GLORY Media’s original audio and video programming. GLORY Media editor-in-chief Lance Chung describes the show as part of the publisher’s ongoing podcast expansion.
KIBO is the presenting partner for the first season. The St. Regis Toronto is named as venue partner. Audi, San Pellegrino and Dragon Farm are also listed as event sponsors in the launch announcement.
The planned guest mix extends to hospitality, fashion and entertainment. That wider approach should give the podcast room to move between culinary careers, personal style, travel and cultural roots without staying inside one industry.
GLORY Media has not included a complete guest calendar in the announcement. For now, the Leung interview gives audiences a clear introduction to the show’s blend of food, business and personal storytelling.
Where to Listen to By Reservation Only
Listeners can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts and its official RSS.com show page. GLORY Media says distribution will extend across major podcast services, though individual app listings may appear at different times.
Start with the Alvin Leung conversation for a sense of the format. Check the show listings for new episodes, guest announcements and updated release details.
You Might Also Like…
