MEET THE CHEFS
CHEF STEFANO FAITA: HOST OF CBC SHOW “IN THE KITCHEN WITH STEFANO FAITA” & CHEF
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Ever since he was a child, Stefano Faita grew up behind the counter of Quincaillerie Dante, a family business located in Little Italy of Montreal. Regularly watching his mother Elena cook pasta, tomato sauce and other Italian specialties contributed to the birth of his passion for cooking. Currently, he is a chef at Mezza Luna, a cooking school he founded with his mother back in 1993. This is the place where he reveals all the great secrets behind typical Italian specialties such as risotto, ravioli, antipasti and pizza, his favorite.
Furthermore, Stefano wrote chronicles for Le Journal de Montreal for over five years. Also, he is the author of four cookbooks. Entre Cuisine et Quincaillerie, published in 2007, describes how his mother and grandmother are at the heart of his culinary work. Entre cuisine et bambini, published in late 2009, depicts Stefano’s new life as a father and contains recipes for today’s young families. In fall 2011, Je cuisine italien was published, offering new recipes to enjoy with others. Lastly, In the Kitchen with Stefano Faita, based on the popular CBC TV show, was published two years later and was also translated in French. Moreover, he opened two restaurants with his partner Michele Forgione in the past two years. They started their business with Impasto and then Pizzeria Gema.
Aside from his regular television appearances on several cooking shows, he was the chef in residence on the last three seasons ofKampaï, which aired on Radio-Canada channel. In 2010, he started his own show, Al Dante, which is still broadcasted on CASA. Over the years, he invited connoisseurs from Italy to discover local and original products. As well as being part of the French television community, Stefano also hosted the show In the Kitchen on CBC, which is now aired on Telelatino on Sundays, broadcasted throughout Canada. During the 2014-2015 season, he also appeared as a cooking chronicler for TVA’s Deux filles le matin.
CHEF VANESSA GIANFRANCESCO: HOST OF GUSTO TV’S”ONE WORLD KITCHEN”
Host of Gusto TV’s One World Kitchen premiering June 1st, Vanessa Gianfrancesco has been cooking with her grandparents since she was two years old.Born and raised in Montreal her earliest memories are set behind countertops and tables, surrounded by ingredients whose names she couldn’t yet remember, but whose flavours she was already able to recognize. Her best recollections are of spending summer vacations in her grandmother’s kitchen, preparing meals for the family. From fresh pastas to hearty minestrones made from home-grown garden vegetables, she would spend her days experimenting with new recipes while the rest of kids would be outside playing.
“My big – and hungry – Italian family was always the perfect test group!”
After completing a bachelor’s degree, her passion for food led her to leave behind her ambition to be a lawyer and pursue a culinary career. She’s a graduate of Montreal’s Culinary Institute ITHQ, teaches cooking classes, is the General Director of Chef en Vous and recently launched a website Cookingwithv.com dedicated to her mother and grandmothers who taught her all there is to know about food.
CHEF ERIK MANDRACCHIA, EXECUTIVE CHEF AT FIORELLINO
Erik Mandracchia is probably one of the youngest chefs in this city. His passion for cooking, especially locally, fresh and from scratch, derived nowhere else but from his home. It all started by him watching his grandmother cook from garden to kitchen. Growing up, all food was either grown by his grandmother or someone else close to the family. He quickly appreciated delicious home-cooked Italian meals.
His career started early after graduating from LaSalle College. He worked as a line cook for Sergio Mattoscio, at Macaroni Bar, until he received the opportunity of a lifetime to work side of Martin Picard, at the Cabane à Sucre au Pied de Cochon, as well as the renowned restaurant Au Pied de Cochon. A couple of years later, after obtaining much experience under his belt, he got the position of Sous-Chef at Le Bremner, learning a lot from Chefs Danny Smiles and Chuck Hughes, some of the greats this city has to offer. He later was part of the opening team at Impasto for Michele Forgione and Stefano Faita, with his good friend and partner at Porchetta, Jonathan Agnello. One year later, Erik and Jon opened their first restaurant, Porchetta, an Italian deli serving authentic Italian street food. Around the same time, Fiorellino Snack Bar opened where Erik received the position as Executive Chef at 26 years old. This allowed him to apply his expertise and serve a mixture of classic and modern Italian dishes using only local and fresh ingredients with the help of Italian grains and tomatoes. Both Porchetta, and Fiorellino Snack Bar, continue to grow with new locations opening by summer 2017.
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CHEF NICK DE PALMA: OWNER OF INFERNO
Nick is a born leader. First, because he hates being told what to do, but also and especially because the kitchen is his kingdom. Son of the owner of Caffe San Simeon, grand-son of the owners of La Trattoria Dai Baffoni, Nick De Palma continues the family tradition with Inferno, where he officiates night after night alongside his associates Mark Lanaro and Ashley Thornton.
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Co-Founder of the Tasting the City Gala for Alzhiemer's Research at the Montreal Neurological Insititute and Hospiatl.
CHEF GUIDO GRASSO: PIZZA MAN & STAND UP COMIC/ACTOR
Montreal-born actor and comedian, Guido loves hand tossing pizza and has one of the best Pizza’s in Montreal at Sapori di Napoli. His Pizza was voted one of the best from Montreal Eater.
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CHEF JOHN PERROTTA: TOP PASTRY CHEF
Founder and owner of pastery shop Gourmandise Dopo Cena. John studied at Montreal’s Institute of Hotel and Tourism of Quebec and at l’Ecole Gastronomique- Bellouet Conseil in Paris, France.
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CHEF JOE MERCURI AND OWNER OF MERCURI RESTAURANT
Over the course of his professional career, Chef Joe Mercuri has established himself as one of the foremost authorities on the restaurant scene. He received critical acclaim as the executive chef and proprietor of Ristorante Bronte, an establishment that was named Canada’s “Best New Restaurant” by En Route magazine.
Using local ingredients and inspiration from his Italian roots and classical French training, Chef Mercuri’s cuisine transcends any particular genre of fare; rather he seeks to be inspired by the cultural mosaic that makes Canada so unique.
CHEF SERGIO MATTOSCIO: TOP CHEF CONTESTANT & CHEF
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Chef Sergio Mattoscio was immersed in his family’s Italian culinary traditions from an early age; he has always been fascinated by anything that has to do with food and what happens in the kitchen. He turned cooking into a career and attended the prestigious Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Quebec, where he graduated at the top of his class. In 2008, after holding executive chef positions at various restaurants he opened Macaroni Bar. And so, in 2013, Sergio Mattoscio made it as a contestant on the cooking show competition Top Chef Canada and endured both an inspiring and worthwhile experience. Sergio is now the Corporate Chef for the Industrial Brasserie Italienne brand and runs both kitchens in Griffintown, Montreal and Lansdowne Park, Ottawa. He is planning to open several more in the near future
CHEF ASHLEY THORNTON: CONTESTANT FROM THE RADIO-CANADA SHOW CALLED LES CHEFS
Contestant on the hit show Les Chefs!, Ashley's passion for food came from observing her colleagues in the restaurant she worked at to pay her way through university in Halifax.
She quickly realized that cooking was what she really wanted to do and moved back to Montreal. She graduated from ITHQ in the Cucina Italiana program, which gave her the opportunity to work at Ca'Matilde, a Michelin star restaurant in Italy. Her love for fresh pasta, risotto and dough making was ignited.
Having lived all over Canada, combined with her love for Italian culture, she managed to combine the two and showcase both cultures through her cooking at Inferno, along side her partners Mark Lanaro and Nick De Palma.
Last year she received La Bourse des Grands Chefs Relais et Chateaux from ITHQ culinary school, an award allowing her to embark on a new adventure by continuing her education in Micheline star restaurants around the world. Recently back from California, her next endeavour will be in Denmark this fall. She continues to learn from everyone she possibly can and create joy through the food that she makes.
CHEF PETER LAVORATORE, INDUSTRIA
Cooking and food has always been a way of life growing up in my family. I started to work in the kitchen at 17 years old at Macaroni Bar. I decided to go to culinary school and try to make a career of it. After finishing school, I had an opportunity to work in Italy for four months. I have also had the privilege to work at Bouillon Bilk, Rosalie, and Mercuri. I am presently working as Chef de Cuisine at the new Industria located in Anjou.
