Please join us for the following events
(limited space available):

Get to know the extraordinary Chefs that are part of this exciting initiative:

Chef Roberto Fracchioni

Roberto Fracchioni hails from two of the finest food-producing regions in the world: the Emilia-Romagna district of Italy and the Niagara region of Canada.

Chef Fracchioni began his culinary training in the kitchens of some of Canada’s most prestigious restaurants including Scaramouche, Canoe and Auberge de Pommier. He joined Niagara’s Inn on the Twenty, a country inn located in the heart of Ontario’s wine country, and in 2000 he was appointed Executive Chef.

The Caledon region of Ontario beckoned in 2005, with its exceptional array of organically grown and naturally produced foods. As Executive Chef at the AAA/CAA Four Diamond Millcroft Inn & Spa for five years, Chef Fracchioni championed a movement to encourage neighbouring chefs and restaurants to use the organic and natural foods grown within the local area.

Chef Fracchioni moved to Toronto in 2010 to open Monk Kitchen at Templar Hotel, a downtown, luxuriously designed boutique hotel. Under Chef Fracchioni’s leadership, Monk Kitchen consistently won the OpenTable.com Diner’s Choice #1 spot in Toronto in the categories of Best Food, Best Service, Best Ambience and Best Overall restaurant.

In 2014, Chef Fracchioni helped to open Flor De Sal, a Toronto fine dining restaurant with a Portuguese twist. In 2016, he moved on to the kitchens at the country luxe destination of Hockley Valley Resort, where he improved the food quality, guest ratings and profitability of the flagship restaurant, Cabin, while consulting on the launch of the property’s new winery restaurant.

Chef Fracchioni is known for his engaging and personable style, making him a favourite with media and students of his frequent cooking demonstrations. In 2004, he co-hosted a tour of 17 people for a 10-day culinary experience in Tuscany. From 2008-2009, Chef Fracchioni was the host of a popular television show called Country Cooking, airing three times a day in the Greater Toronto area.

With a passion for coaching as well as kitchen and menu design, Chef Fracchioni currently lends his skills as a mentor and business advisor to cooks and restaurateurs throughout Ontario, while teaching at the culinary program of Centennial College in Toronto.

Chef Fraser Macfarlane

Toronto raised Chef Fraser Macfarlane has honed his skills at some top restaurants in Toronto and abroad.

After working in Italy for four months through the GBC Italian Culinary Program Fraser further developed his skills at renowned Toronto restaurant Scaramouche, a breeding ground for some of Toronto’s best chefs.

In 2010 Fraser and his wife Georgina moved to Dundas, Ontario and opened Quatrefoil Restaurant. Taking inspiration from classical French cuisine and filtering it through a modern lens Quatrefoil opened to rave reviews. In their first year they were named one of Canada’s Best New Restaurants by enRoute Magazine and one of Toronto’s Best New Restaurants by Toronto Life Magazine. They are very proud that the restaurant is still garnering accolades after all these years.

In 2014 the couple opened Brux House Craft Beer & Kitchen on Locke St. in Hamilton. Brux takes pride in its carefully selected draft beer and craft cocktail lists as well as its delectable takes on the food of the European Beer Belt.

Rooted in classical, seasonal cuisine, Fraser is proud to support local farmers, artisans and producers to ensure the highest quality of food and service at his restaurants.

Chef Michael Russell

Executive Chef at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club

Born in Toronto and raised in Durham region Michael has 20+ years of restaurant experience. Michael found his calling to cuisine at the age of fifteen washing dishes at a local restaurant. From the beginning he knew he had an obsession for cooking, service and lifelong learning. Having worked at many independent restaurants in the region and climbing the ranks from commis to sous chef he decided to make a career out of his passion. He enrolled in George Brown Colleges Culinary Management program and embraced this path with fervour. In his first year at college he was offered a position at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club one of the premier private clubs in Toronto. In 2015 after spending 9 years in progressive positions within the RCYC kitchen he was promoted to Executive Chef.

Chef Andrew Thorne

Executive Chef at The Good Earth Food and Wine Co.

Born and raised in Niagara, Andrew has always had a keen interest in the food and wine scene. As a young chef Andrew has worked in some of the area’s finest kitchens – Peller Estates Winery under chef Jason Parsons (from 2008 to 2011) and Trius Winery at Hillebrand under chef Frank Dodd (from 2011 to 2016) and came to The Good Earth from The Restaurant at Redstone. Andrew is a true family man and loves to enjoy the good things in life.

Chef Carla Brigliadori

Chef Carla Brigliadori started her education by graduating from culinary school, earning a diploma in Philosophy and then a Master in Food History and Culture. She also received a diploma as a third level sommelier followed by a Master in Service Techniques for a Sommelier. She began her working career as a chef and sous-chef and she also gained some experience by working in an office environment. Chef Carla also took part in a stage at the medieval festival in Brisighella as assistant to the artistic director. She joined the Gourmet CheftoChef Emilia Romagna Cuochi organization where she contributes to the management and organization of their events. In 2012 Chef Carla created and edited the book Pascoli il gusto delle emozioni – Il cibo nella poesia pascoliana. In 2016 she planned, organized and managed the Festa Mercato del bovino romagnolo in collaboration with the Region of Emilia Romagna. Furthermore Chef Carla participated in the Settimana della Cucina italiana nel Mondo in Hong Kong and Manila in 2016, in Shangai in 2017, and in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Manila in 2018 in collaboration with the Region of Emilia Romagna. She also participates in the TV show Geo&Geo on Italian national television on a monthly basis. Since 2008 Chef Carla is the manager of the Cooking School of Casa Artusi and of the cooking classes that are offered to all food lovers, tourists and professionals that would like to get to know the traditional Italian home cooking. She also organizes and manages the participation to various trade shows and events as well as events that are tied to the cooking school of Casa Artusi, whose mission is to promote traditional Italian home cooking.