10 ?s | massimo capra, chef, author

I  had the extreme pleasure of meeting Massimo Capra last week, chef and co-owner of Mistura Restaurant and Sopra Upper Lounge, two of Toronto's most frequented hot spots. Located on Davenport in between Yorkville and Summerhill neighbourhoods, his restaurants, like Massimo, exude a warm comfortable luxury, something both him and his co-owner, Paolo Paolini, hoped would come across when they opened the restaurant back in 97.  Massimo himself was born and raised in Italy and began his culinary career watching his mother make the pasta in their kitchen.  He entered culinary school at the age of 15 and worked in several of Italy's top restaurants and hotels.  Massimo came to Toronto in 1982 to work at for a family friend and in 1989 became the head chef at Prego in Yorkville. And from there, as you know, he opened Mistura Restaurant in 1997 and Sopra Upper Lounge in 2006, serving up delicious Italian dishes with a contemporary spin.   He has parlayed his work into two cookbooks: One Pot Italian Cooking and the just released 3 Chefs, which was written with his CityLine counterparts Michael Bonacini and Jason Parsons. And he has plans for at least two more cookbooks to follow. A regular on CityTV's CityLine and Food Network's Restaurant Makeover, Massimo is down to earth and charming with a buoyant personality that instantly endears you to him.  He's open and real, take for instance his response to one of my follow up questions: Is there anything you don't like to eat.  He responded: "Weird things, like testicles.  Who wants to eat animal testicles?  Yet, people do."

I was honoured to meet Massimo in person and have him participate in 10 ?s.  A great chef, a warm person and an all around entertaining guy [who also makes a great cup of cappuccino], what's not to love about a man that says one of his favourite memories was his mom letting him lick the batter for the sponge cake off the spoon.  Without further ado, here's 10 ?s with Chef Massimo Capra.


1.  What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do or what has been the most rewarding experience you've had in your career?

For me the most rewarding aspect of my cooking career has been the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and get acquainted with different foods and cultures, the TV and author career gives me the opportunity to give back some of what I have learned and hopefully be a positive force in their lives.

2.  Favourite time of day?

Night going into early morning, nothing better than a sunrise in the country and the calm and silence being broken by the awakening world

3.  Star Wars or Star Trek?

Star Trek, I was glued to the TV when I was a young boy and I am a great believer in space exploration

4.  What is one thing you would change about your industry or what you do?

I would like young cooks to concentrate in the craft of cooking and not on the celebrity status so much; I noticed a lot of young people worrying too much about style and not enough about substance

5.  What is your daily routine? If you don't have one, what is one thing you do everyday?

7am wake up, make breakfast, answer emails and work on recipes, menus and current projects, 12pm lunch and then go to work until costumers are served

6.  If you weren't doing what you do, what else would you do?

I have been in kitchens for 35 years, it is difficult to think of something else but I was always into furniture making and carpentry

7.  Favourite Colour?

Yellow, Orange and Gray

8.  Favourite board game?

Do not have one, played many but never got addicted to any

9.  Where do you see your industry or yourself in 10 years?

My mantra is to let things happen but I have a few secret projects I am developing and I hope to be working on them full time in ten years,

10.  What do you feel is "trendy" right now and what do you feel will stand the test of time?

Trendy: I feel that the trend right now is to change ethnic cuisines and adjust them to the palate of younger generations of North American consumers, mixing recipes from established cuisines with exotic flavours and spices; there will be an influx of authentic/reworked South Asian cuisine done in a very exciting and approachable way, the same way we have Italian touches in every restaurant right now.

Classic: French & Italian cuisine will stand the test of time; soufflés, Meringue Desserts, Pork Chops, Pasta, Pizza and anything else well crafted