TORONTO — Finalists of the David Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship competition were treated to a master class by one of Italy’s Michelin-starred chefs, Luciano Monosilio, recently at George Brown College.
Best known as the king of Carbonara, Monosilio led the class — which also included some of the city’s chefs and media — and created pasta dishes including creamy seafood linguine, lamb tortelli with cream and peppermint and his famed spaghetti carbonara.
Monosilio developed an interest in cooking at the age 16 and worked at such famed Roman restaurants as Roscioli, where he gained valuable experience before refining his experience in the kitchens of some of the most renowned Italian chefs, including Pierangeli, Mauro Uliassi and Enrico Crippa of the Piazza Duomo — ranked 15th by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
In addition to preparing and sampling the famed dishes, Monosilio shared some of his biggest lessons as a chef, telling the young competitors in the audience that chefs need to be resolute, curious, have full knowledge about raw ingredients, be organized and disciplined. Monosilio is a big believer in the ability to meld tradition with new ingredients and techniques. Recently, the Italian chef worked with a pasta manufacturer to create a new type of flour made with a percentage of cricket flour.
Monosilio garnered his first Michelin star at the age of 27 when he worked at Pipero restaurant, becoming one of the youngest Italian Michelin-starred chefs. Earlier this year, the chef embarked on entrepreneurial pursuits, opening a new restaurant in the centre of Rome called Luciano Cucina Italiana. He also owns a Neapolitan pizzeria called Fra Diavolo in Genoa.
