DAVID
Photos courtesy of Francesco Lastrucci
[ FOOD + DRINK ]
CELEBRITY CHEF
“It’s like being an alchemist and turning simple ingredients into magical
food – it’s the same principle that should be applied to life.”- DAVID ROCCO
WR IT T E N BY M EG H A N FI LI C E T T I
Celebrity chef David Rocco has the Dolce
Vita, for which he created the recipe. He
may not be a trained chef per say but he
was born into an Italian family, raised in
Vaughan, a City with a multicultural food
scene and in turn developed an undying
passion for food. With a smile that lights up
from ear to ear he can crack jokes in any
given situation just to have those around
him let out a few laughs. You can see why
Rocco has succeeded in his every endeavour, it’s his personality.
Where does all this passion and perserverance stem from? Rocco explains the impact
Vaughan had while he was growing up, not
only on his career but also his adult life. “I
saw first hand the strength and determination of the Vaughan community to create
and build great neighbourhoods. This has
always inspired me in my work and life
to never give up and always think of the
future I want for myself and my family,”
he mentions. With this undying desire to
succeed that was ingrained from a young
age, Rocco moved on and his accomplish-
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ments have surpassed his reference as
merely a ‘celebrity chef ’. He is constantly
hungry for more, which has brought him
to where he is today. It is truly inspiring to see that even after being a former
restaurant owner, a professional model,
author of three successful cookbooks, avid
winemaker, executive producer and host of
two internationally-aired television series,
guest appearances on countless onscreen
shows, recipient of numerous accolades
in his respective industry, he still has more
cooking in the kitchen! As for a little taste
of what’s to come, his much-anticipated
fourth cookbook, Dolce Famiglia, is expected to hit shelves this fall, the release of
the sixth season of his hit television show,
David Rocco’s Dolce Vita, this spring, and
another secret adventure we’re not yet
allowed to spill!
However we must say that although he has
brought himself to where he is today, he
also has his parents to thank. Coming from
Naples and Foggia, two Italian provinces,
Rocco was involved in the kitchen from
a young age. Although born in Toronto,
Rocco moved to Vaughan in his teen years
and that is also where he happened to
meet his future partner in love and business. With Nina by his side and their
three children, Emma, Giorgia and Dante,
David Rocco has created the sweet life.
Although the best recipes are often kept
secret, Rocco gladly shares his method to
achieving the ‘Dolce Vita’. No, this is not
your average concoction of ingredients that
you may find written word for word in any
of his cookbooks, rather it is an approach.
In an interview with Rocco in 2011, he
revealed how ‘Dolce Vita’ is actually a state
of mind. “It’s like being an alchemist and
turning simple ingredients into magical
food – it’s the same principle that should be
applied to life.” Take a step back, breathe,
and ultimately relish in life’s moments that
bring joy. Family, friends, music, and food
create the perfect blend. In all his years
as celebrity chef, he has remained true
to what he preaches. David Rocco lives,
breathes and broadcasts the Dolce Vita.