TORONTO — Toronto’s Little Italy is welcoming Radici Project, a new Italian-Japanese restaurant rooted in seasonality, sustainability and storytelling. The restaurant is co-owned by husband-and-wife duo, executive chef Emiliano Del Frate and Kayo Ito.
Del Frate got his culinary start at some of the world’s top spots, including Michelin-starred Noma, then moved on to hone his craft in Toronto at Michelin-starred Don Alfonso 1890 and, most recently, Michelin-starred DaNico. Manager Ito is a hospitality expert whose career spans top-tier establishments including Nobu Toronto and JONI at the Park Hyatt.
Located at 588 College Street, Radici Project will officially open to the public on April 30. The restaurant will operate Wednesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. and features a dual-concept layout with a casual à la carte natural wine bar at the front and an intimate chef’s table at the back.
The couple first met while working together at a restaurant in Toronto. From there, they got married and travelled across Europe and Japan. Radici Project is a reflection of their shared values and enduring partnership. The name Radici means “roots” in Italian, a tribute to their journey and a symbol of the life they’re building together in the city where it all began.
The restaurant’s menu brings together Japanese and Italian philosophies through the use of high-quality Canadian ingredients, with a focus on seasonality. This approach is inspired by a style of cooking known as Itameshi, which blends Japanese and Italian culinary traditions into inventive yet grounded dishes.
“In Japan, seasonal menus are the norm and for good reason. I love working with ingredients at their absolute best,” says Del Frate. “While at Noma, I had the chance to forage daily and I noticed how similar the Canadian landscape felt. That mindset is now part of my cooking identity. It’s not about exclusivity. It’s about creating something honest, relaxed and thoughtful. A place where people feel welcomed and nourished.”
With approximately 70 per cent of ingredients sourced locally, the menu will change often based on what is in season. This commitment to local sourcing is reflected in the restaurant’s collaboration with its producers, including Acadian Sturgeon and Caviar Inc., a family-run Canadian business led by Cornel Ceapa, who immigrated from Romania.
Sample menu items include B.C. Dungeness crab crowned with almond foam and finished with Acadian caviar; duck breast cured in beeswax and served with lacto fermented plums, grilled duck neck and silky lardo; and honey, chamomile and pollen sponge cake layered with milk cream, chamomile custard, chamomile gel and a pollen and honey tuile.
The beverage program was developed by manager and certified sake sommelier Ito, sommelier Debbie Shing and Del Frate. Highlights include Vai Con Dio made with Valley of Mother of God Gin from Ontario, yuzu sake from Japan and house made kombucha; Keigetsu Cel24 Junmai Daiginjo from Kochi, Japan; Dassai 39 Junmai Daiginjo from Yamaguchi, Japan; and Amaro Nepeta MAJORA from Sicily, Italy.
Radici Project accommodates 44 guests indoors, including six seats at the bar, and features a patio space that can be booked as a private dining area for two to 10 guests.
