I was born to an Italian and Argentinian family in Toronto, where food was very important. My father, Sammy, owned and worked in the restaurant business for many decades. My Nonna used to prepare the most amazing Italian dishes for us at home. I developed a deep appreciation for cooking from a very young age and started cooking with my family every night. It’s safe to say that my two passions growing up were Italian food and soccer.
A soccer scholarship took me to Texas for college, but after a series of injuries, I made my way back to Toronto, where I worked in many restaurants before transitioning into a corporate role as a financial advisor.
Eventually, I found the corporate world unfulfilling, and I decided to follow my true passion for food. That’s when I launched Che, Toronto´s first Argentinian food truck, which quickly started to gain popularity for authentic flavors. Building on that success, my best friend, Mike Mizzi, and I opened AMA, an Italian-Argentinian Supper Club where we were very well known as a vibrant space dedicated to community and delicious dishes made with lots of amore.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a significant life change for me and my wife, Michele. We sold everything we owned in Toronto, and bought a 45-acre parcel of land in the Costa Rican jungle, where we moved with our four-month old baby and four suitcases.
Over our first two years in Costa Rica, we planted more than 200 fruit trees and created an off-grid farm named Oasis Uvita. After a few years of growing different types of fruit trees, gardens, greens, and hosting private dinners at our house, we decided to open Seba's Restaurant: a farm-to-table fine dining restaurant located in the jungle of beautiful Uvita in the South Pacific of Costa Rica that emphasizes sustainability and supporting local family-run farms.
After 18 months, we quickly gained acclaim. In 2024, we were awarded the best pizzeria in Costa Rica and ranked 43rd in Latin America by 50 Top Pizza. We were also chosen as the most sustainable pizzeria in Latin America and were listed on the top 100 pizza chefs in the world by Top 100 Pizza.
This year, we were invited to the 50 Top Pizza ceremony of Latin America, celebrated in Rio de Janeiro, where we were awarded, for the second consecutive year, Top Pizzeria in Costa Rica and the most sustainable in LATAM.
These recognitions have motivated us to keep growing as we make history and a create a positive impact in the whole world. We hope that our story inspires people to follow their dreams and proves that Italian food is beloved around the world, even in the jungles of Costa Rica.
