For nearly thirty years, David Rocco has been an ambassador of La Dolce Vita. Thanks to his charisma and simple approach to Italian cooking, his shows have aired in more than 100 countries. But his career has taken him beyond Italy, having traveled the world bringing people together through a shared love of gastronomy. Along with being a celebrity chef, executive producer, and bestselling author, Rocco has his own line of pasta and premium sauces sold in Canada and the United States. He most recently added restaurateur to his list of achievements, with the opening of David Rocco Bar Aperitivo; the first of its kind in Toronto (and Canada as a whole). I grew up watching his shows and credit him for my deep passion to connect with my Italian roots through food. And as fate would have it, I got the chance to interview him and learn more about his philosophy.
La Dolce Vita and Materia Prima
When I ask Rocco how it all began, he describes his career as an organic journey. Aspiring filmmakers, he and his wife Nina filmed a cooking show in 1998 in lieu of a feature film. With some editing assistance from their wedding videographer, they pitched their idea, and the rest was history. In 1999, Rocco hit the airwaves with his first show: Avventura. This 26-episode series on PBS followed him as he traveled throughout Italy, teaching viewers about the diversity of Italian food. Twenty-five years later, he remains unstoppable—hosting and producing a number of series across different networks. He jokes, “We haven’t had this kind of desire to do a film anymore.”
Through his shows, Rocco has taken us across the world, visiting India, Africa, and most recently Southeast Asia. With his knack for bringing cultures together, he always finds a way to add an Italian spin to dishes, while still honoring the culinary traditions of the destination he's visiting. And while he has a natural talent for creating fusion dishes, tradition has always been a guiding principle to his cooking philosophy.
When asked who his culinary influences were, he tells me, “The regular, everyday cooks in Italy that I would visit and that would introduce me to cooking that was about simplicity, was authentic, wasn’t trying to get likes or views, it was basic.” This is why you won't see him jumping on the latest food trends going viral online. Instead, Rocco prefers to stick with the classics, describing them as timeless. He also stresses the importance of respecting ingredients or materia prima, as it's referred to in Italy.
Given his passion for quality, it's no surprise that the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium recently appointed Rocco as its Canadian brand ambassador. This role entails educating consumers about this iconic cheese and its versatility. Fans of Rocco will concur that they could not have chosen a better person to represent this sacred ingredient. He describes it as the “quintessential king of Italian cheeses and perhaps even the king of cheese period, globally.” And since Parmigiano Reggiano has been made with the same recipe for nearly 1,000 years, few would dare to disagree with him on this one! When asked what this title means to him on a personal level, he describes the partnership as an honor and a testimony to his legacy over the years.
Bringing Aperitivo to Toronto
Rocco acknowledges that much of his early work makes him a trailblazer. This is especially true in Canada, where he was among the first (and few) to create travel cooking shows. After introducing viewers to the idea of La Dolce Vita almost thirty years ago, he recently took it a step further by opening David Rocco Bar Aperitivo in Toronto's trendy Yorkville neighborhood. A fan of the Italian aperitivo ritual, Rocco wanted to bring this concept to Canada. He tells me he wanted it to be fun and informal; a place where friends can meet up to enjoy communal dining.
When asked if he has a must-try dish at the bar, he likens it to asking a parent to choose their favorite child. Instead, he suggests coming with a group of friends and sampling a bit of everything on the menu. From their schiacciatas to their homemade cremas, he's proud of the fact that all their ingredients come directly from Italy, telling me, as an example, “We don’t use any truffle oils, truffle essence, it’s 100 percent black truffle.” And then there's their wide selection of wines and cocktails, with classics and contemporary creations like their Limoncello spritz. Finally, for those with a sweet tooth, be sure to try their homemade gelato. Made with few ingredients, you'll be hard pressed to find gelato as pure as this. Their pistachio flavor is a fan favorite and must-try!
Final Thoughts
As a longtime fan of David Rocco, it was an honor interviewing him. In chatting with him, it's clear that the personality we see on the screen is exactly who he is. I couldn't help but wonder what was next for this iconic figure. He shared that he's working on new shows and also exploring other opportunities in the restaurant industry. When and where these projects will come to fruition remains unknown, but knowing the work Rocco has delivered over the years, we can only expect the best.
In the meantime, I highly recommend anyone living or visiting the Toronto area to make a stop at David Rocco Bar Aperitivo. Though thousands of miles separate Italy and Canada, this is a spot that can momentarily transport one to Il Bel Paese for a taste of La Dolce Vita.
