How different is it owning and operating a restaurant in Toronto versus one in Italy?
CP: We try to do the same exact thing here as we did there, but one of the main differences is that we had way more pizzas on the menu there. We had 60 pizzas on our menu in Turin, and here, we only have 12. MP: There’s such a huge emphasis on rustic and authentic cuisine in Canada right now. Is this something you’ve focused on from the start at La Vecchia? CP: Absolutely. We do a lot of homemade pasta sauces. We have fish that comes into the restaurant fresh, every day. By 9 p.m., it’s all gone — we don’t have freezers here. We’re known in the city for serving the freshest food. MP: What are some of your most popular dishes? CP: We have 14 different pasta dishes, and we also offer whole wheat and gluten-free varieties. Our customers were asking for it, and we care about our customers, so we put them on the menu. Of course, all our sauces are made from scratch, and we’re famous for our risotto. We have 15 different kinds of risotto, and people come from all over the city to eat it. And
