Lecture by Peter W. Aykroyd as part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the ACCADEMIA ITALIANA DELLA CUCINA – Toronto Delegation.
In 1967, during Canada’s centennial year, the Toronto Delegation of Accademia Italiana della Cucina was inaugurated with the mission of protecting the standards and traditions of Italian cuisine. After fifty years there is much to celebrate. There are also developments that present considerable change and, for some buongustai, potential for concern.
Complemented by both archival and recent photography and Peter Aykroyd’s colourful anecdotes from his own Italian culinary adventures, discover what the foundations and status of Italian food and wine were in 1967 Toronto. Proceed to follow their renaissance and expansion as well as how traditional Italian cooking principles have been transported, sustained and challenged. Learn about the future of what has been declared, “ The cuisine that dominates global gastronomy” in what is, today, the world’s fourth largest Italian metropolis outside of Italy – Toronto!
PETER W. AYKROYD BA, FCPA, FCA
For Peter, Italy’s regional cuisines represent a life-long passion. A 6th generation Canadian of British ancestry, his culinary upbringing in post-war Toronto can best be described as “atypical “ and “privileged.” While studying architecture in pre-war Italy, his father became enthralled with Italian food and wines. Being a proficient cook, he made them central to his family’s diet after returning to Toronto. From an early age, Peter learned to cook in the traditional Italian way – right in the kitchen under the guidance of his father and his Uncle Maurice, an immigrant from the Swiss-Italian border area and also a superb cook.
During his Bay Street professional years, Peter found opportunities to pursue his love of Italian cooking. This included his good fortune to be tutored by the late Luigi Orgera, founder and executive chef of Ristorante La Fenice. For over forty years Peter has been involved in a myriad of cooking courses and has conducted culinary research in Italy and in North America.
In May 2005, together with three Italian-Canadian friends, Peter founded Amanti Della Cucina Ltd. The mission and objectives of Amanti, as shown in its website (www.amantidellacucina.com), complement those of Accademia Italiana Della Cucina. Amanti’s popular “ Let’s Cook Italian” classes, presented by Peter and Flavio Capobianco, have always been fully subscribed. Amanti has been featured in the Toronto Sun and on CHIN TV. One Toronto-based executive chef has described a festa day with Amanti as a “ cooking oasis.”
Peter remains a trustee, officer and director of several Canadian corporations. He has co-authored two successfully published books and is currently writing a book on the culinary adventures of Amanti Della Cucina. In 2018, he and the Amanti will cook at Castello di Verrazzano in Tuscany as well as in the hometown of three of its members located in the Daunia Mountains of Puglia.
(Photo: Peter W. Aykroyd on the right with Flavio Capobianco celebrating Campania region)
