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Umberto Menghi
Umberto Menghi
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Umberto grew up on a typical farm in the Tuscan
hills, inspired by his mama’s fine cooking. But when
his parents decided he should become a priest, 12-year-old
Umberto rebelled and fled the seminary. As luck would have
it, he was taken in by a couple who ran a countryside restaurant
and began working in the kitchen. When his parents came to
fetch him, he convinced them that hotel school was a better
life for him – the beginning of a culinary journey from
which he would never stray. Umberto would go on to learn the
trade with the great chefs of Europe and to work at the acclaimed
Savoy and Hilton Hotels in London.
His skills took him to Montreal for Expo ‘67, and his
sense of adventure eventually took him to Vancouver –
travelling across the country with a gun and holster in search
of the Wild West he’d seen in cowboy movies. He was
disappointed that there were no shoot-outs on the train trip,
but excited at the opportunities Vancouver offered. The 1960’s
Canadian dinner table was bland and predictable and Umberto
had the chance to shake things up with his then exotic Tuscan
cuisine, featuring fresh ingredients, in season.
What followed was the making of a culinary empire and the
financial struggles that came with it. At one point he was
so broke he sold sweaters made by his sisters to pay off a
bank loan. His confidence and charm prevented a near disastrous
opening night at his first restaurant, Umberto’s, and
provided the kind of celebrity reputation that would attract
customers and success for years to come. He opened more than
ten restaurants in Vancouver and on the west coast, wrote
cookbooks, and had his own television show. He also fulfilled
a lifelong dream by creating Villa Delia, a world-class Tuscan
resort and cooking school named after his mother.
Umberto has no plans to slow down – a small boutique
hotel in Vancouver is in the works. Now happily married for
the second time, he enjoys life in Canada and Italy with his
wife and son. And to relax? Well, he travels, organizes huge
charity events and teaches the art and love of Tuscan cooking.
Original Air Date - February 3, 2005
Links
Villa Delia
and Umberto's Restaurants
(Note: CBC does not endorse the content of external
sites)
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