Silvestro Lo Presti

SOUS CHEF

Silvestro Lo Presti is an Italian-Canadian chef born in East York who spent several years living abroad in Palermo, Italy. He learned authentic Italian cooking from his grandmother and father, which is reflected in his cooking style. He has been cooking professionally for 10 years, starting as a dishwasher in a busy Italian restaurant outside Union Station in downtown Toronto. It was in the downtown core where Silvestro earned his bones and mastered every aspect of the kitchen. Name your favorite restaurant in Toronto, and there’s a good chance Silvestro either worked there or at a spot right next door.

Silvestro was French-trained by his mentors and proudly credits his education to the “school of hard knocks.” In just two years, he progressed through the ranks of Line Cook, Chef de Tournant, Chef de Partie, and Sous Chef, and has held Chef positions ever since.

Silvestro is also in recovery and has maintained absolute abstinence for years by living by one motto: “I do today what I did yesterday, so tomorrow I stand a chance.”