12 » OpenRoad Driver
You moved to Canada almost fifty
years ago. Congratulations. How do
you feel about your adopted country
five decades after your arrival?
I’ve been here long enough to feel like
Canada is home. My family is here, my son
was born here, my wife is Canadian and
my business is here. As you grow with your
business, you integrate the style of living
of your adopted country. But still, I feel
Italian and Canadian. I’ve created my own
territory, and my own style of restaurant
which represents central Tuscany, central
Italy and Mediterranean cuisine. That’s also
helped me feel at home.
You once said, “Non son morto” (I’m
not dead). That’s an understatement.
You’ve brought Tuscany back to
Vancouver, and made a triumphant
return with Giardino Restaurant.
After closing Il Giardino, I think in the
back of my mind I always knew my hiatus
from the city would not be forever. It is
in my blood. New and loyal diners have
embraced Giardino, and we are very glad.
Tell me why you chose granaries as
the inspiration for Giardino. I see all
the details in the tile and woodwork.
I was inspired by the granary because that’s
where families used to put grain to dry
and store whatever they had produced, to
ensure they always had food. I was born
in 1946, after the Second World War, and
that time was all about raising food and
raising families. At Giardino we’re trying
to bring diners back to the simple things in
life: friends, family and food. The colours
are warm, like Tuscany, and the feeling of
belonging and comfort is important to me.
I want everyone to feel at home.
Was it bittersweet to sell Il