TORONTO ― Fifty years after the biggest wave of Italian immigration to Canada, Ontario’s Italian Chamber of Commerce (ICCO) has published Buon Appetito Toronto, a book which examines the impact of Italian cuisine on the city’s culinary landscape.
The book launch was held yesterday at Toronto’s Sony Performing Arts Centre where more than 250 guests were treated to a three-course dinner (sponsored by Pizza Nova, Italpasta and Scotiabank) served on the venue’s stage. The emcee of the evening was comedian Frank Spadone, who regaled guests with humorous stories of being raised in an Italian household.
Buon Appetito Toronto features articles by Rosanna Caira, editor/publisher of Foodservice and Hospitality magazine (who examines the evolution of Italian restaurants in Canada’s biggest metropolis), as well as wine writer Tony Aspler (who recounts the city’s growing love affair with Italian wines). But, the basis of the book is a series of one-on-one interviews with leading restaurateurs in the city, including veteran operators such as Franco Prevedello, Robert Martella (Grano Restaurant) and Massimo Capra (Mistura) as well as newer chefs such as Rob Gentile (Buca) and Craig Harding (Campagnolo). Several of the most notable food manufacturers and distributors also contributed.
In addition to the debut of the book, the ICCO also presented its Pentola d’Oro Award to Ferrero, the food company that is renowned for its stable of confectionary products, including the popular Nutella hazelnut spread. The multinational organization, which was born in Italy in 1946, now consists of 20 production plants, 41 operating companies and more than 22,000 employees around the world. The Pentola d’Oro award is presented to outstanding representatives in the food industry from Canada and Italy.
For more information on the book, or to order a copy, go to buonappetitotoronto.ca.
