From a small rural community in Molise, Italy, La Cantina's co-founder and executive chef, Maurizio Grande, was born in 1963 the youngest of four boys.  Life was difficult as a youngster, opportunities scarce and a dream brewing.  At fourteen years of age, Maurizio Grande had to leave home to find work in the famous, tourist ski resorts of Rocarasso, Abbruzzo, Italy.   
He worked as kitchen help under some great stewardship at "Hotel Dina" (a popular destination), but the dream of prosperity in America was insatiable.  He left his parents and one brother behind and made a personal decision to join his newly immigrated older brothers in Canada.  At the age of fifteen, Hamilton had become home for Chef Maurizio. The year was 1979.
 


In 1986, the beginnings of La Cantina Ristorante emerged on the west side of our great "Steel City", Hamilton, in a quaint location off Queen Street.   This youngster could not have been more proud of working towards his dream starting to build La Cantina's recipes for success.  At the age of twenty-one, Maurizio started the journey with his business partner and mentor, Gilda.   
After much toil, great patrons and a little magic, this location had outgrown the City's demand for wholesome food and so in the winter of 1994, La Cantina created a new home at 60 Walnut South, in the downtown district.  The rest, as they say, is history....