Massimo Capra

{{Short description|Italian celebrity chef}} {{Infobox chef  | image = | name = Massimo Capra | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|05|24}} | birth_place = Soresina, Italy | death_date = | death_place = | style =Italian | education = | restaurants ={{plainlist|*Capra's Kitchen, Mississauga, Ontario (2017–present),<br/> *Boccone Trattoria, Mississauga, Ontario (2013–present), *Massimo’s Italian, Niagara Falls, Ontario (2018–present) }} | television = ''Restaurant Makeover'', ''Gourmet Escape'', ''Chopped: Canada'', ''Wall of Chefs'', ''Cityline Resident Expert'', }} '''Massimo Capra''' (born 1960) is an Italian restaurateur, restaurant consultant, cookbook author, and celebrity chef. He is known for his appearances on the television shows CityTV's ''Cityline'', Global's ''The Morning Show'', and Food Network shows ''Restaurant Makeover'', ''Chopped: Canada'', ''Top Chef Canada'', and ''Wall of Chefs''. He based in Mississauga, Ontario; near Toronto.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leigh |first=Tiffany |date=2021-01-31 |title=Where Capra's Kitchen chef and owner Massimo Capra gets takeout sushi, cashew chicken and fried noodles |url=https://torontolife.com/food/where-capras-kitchen-chef-and-owner-massimo-capra-gets-takeout-sushi-cashew-chicken-and-fried-noodles/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Toronto Life |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Career == Massimo Capra was born in 1960, in Soresina, Lombardy, Italy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Maher |first=Michelle |date=November 25, 2011 |title=Chef Massimo heats it up at Eight Words Café |url=https://www.sasktoday.ca/south/local-news/chef-massimo-heats-it-up-at-eight-words-cafe-4004260 |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=SaskToday.ca |language=en}}</ref> He was primarily raised in Cremona.<ref name=":0" /> While he was a teenager he left home from 1974 to 1977 to study cooking in Salsomaggiore in the province of Parma.<ref name=":0" /> Capra began his culinary career in Venice, working in a trattoria.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |date=2017-04-21 |title=Celebrity Chef Massimo Capra Joins MS Paul Gauguin for September Voyage |url=https://www.travelagentcentral.com/people/celebrity-chef-massimo-capra-joins-ms-paul-gauguin-for-select-voyage |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Travel Agent Central |language=en}}</ref> He served in the Italian Army.<ref name=":0" />

In 1982, Capra moved to Toronto.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2014-10-05 |title=Chef Massimo Capra's Mistura Restaurant and Sopra Upper Lounge |url=https://www.cbj.ca/chef_massimo_capra_s_mistura_restaurant_and_sopra_upper_lounge/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=The Canadian Business Journal |language=en-CA}}</ref> He started out working at Archer’s, a family-owned restaurant; followed by work at Prego Della Piazza, a celebrity destination.<ref name=":2" />

In 2014, Capra started working on a new restaurant venue modeled after his successful Pearson Airport restaurant Boccone Pronto. Located inside Doha, Qatar's Hamad International Airport, the restaurant was dubbed Soprafino Restaurant. He also pursued several other ventures during this time.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}

He is currently the owner of Capra's Kitchen in Mississauga, Ontario, in partnership with Mohamad Fakih of Paramount Fine Foods.

== Publications ==

Capra had a monthly column in ''The Globe and Mail'''s "New Life" section. Several of his recipes have appeared in print, and was the food editor for Canadian Home Trend Magazine for several years.

His first full cookbook, ''One-Pot Italian'' (September 2007), was published by Allen & Unwin; followed by the award-winning cookbook ''Three Chefs: The Kitchen Men'' (2012).

Massimo Capra was the brand ambassador for Buitoni pizza, Samsung appliances, Silani cheese, and Kraft olive oil dressings.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} He currently raises awareness for Grana Padano, Prosciutto di Parma, and Prosciutto di San Daniele.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

== Restaurants ==

=== Active ===

* Capra's Kitchen (2016–present), 1834 Lakeshore Road W, Mississauga, Ontario<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-04-19 |title=Capra's Kitchen raises the bar in Mississauga but needs work: Review |url=https://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2017/04/19/italian-restaurant-capras-raises-the-bar-but-fails-to-meet-it-review.html |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=thestar.com |language=en}}</ref> * Massimo's Italian (2018–present), Sheraton on the Falls Hotel, Niagara Falls, Ontario * Boccone Trattoria, formerly Boccone Pronto (2013–present), Toronto Pearson International Airport, Mississauga, Ontario

=== Closed ===

* Soprafino (2014–2021), Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar * Mistura Restaurant (October 1997–September 2019), co-founded with Paolo Paolini, 256 Davenport Road, Toronto, Ontario<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Carlberg |first=Amy |date=February 14, 2020 |title=Toronto restaurant was still taking Valentine's reservations even though it closed last year |url=https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2020/02/mistura-toronto-closed/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=BlogTO |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> * Sopra Upper Lounge ({{circa|2011}} – {{circa|2019}}), 256 Davenport Road, Toronto, Ontario<ref name=":0" />

==Personal life==

He is married to Rosa Capra and has raised two sons with her, Andrew (born in 1988) and Daniel (born in 1990).<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=DeMontis |first=Rita |date=August 30, 2018 |title=Celebrity chef Massimo Capra opens up about the loss of his oldest son |url=https://torontosun.com/life/food/0830-lifenational |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=torontosun |language=en-CA}}</ref>

In June 2018, three days before his 30th birthday, Capra's eldest son Andrew died in an undisclosed accident while living in Prague, Czech Republic.<ref name=":3" />

Capra currently resides in the Lorne Park neighbourhood in Mississauga, Ontario.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=nm2104115}} *[http://www.chefdb.com/nm/47/ Massimo Capra] at the Chef and Restaurant Database *{{cite web|url= http://www.foodtv.ca/ontv/hostdetails.aspx?hostid=40160 |title=Massimo Capra - Hosts - Food Network Canada}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Capra, Massimo}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Italian emigrants to Canada Category:People from the Province of Cremona Category:Canadian television chefs Category:Participants in Canadian reality television series Category:Canadian restaurateurs Category:Italian television chefs