Laura Panarese | Private Chef, Culinary Instructor+ Event Host

Laura’s love for cooking dates back to her childhood in the scenic town of Saliento, Puglia, a passion she inherited from her father. She studied art at school and achieved success in the fashion industry early in her career, before giving it up to pursue her first great love: la cucina.

After graduating from the Accademia Marchesi in Milano, Laura settled in Emilia-Romagna, one of Italy’s most celebrated culinary regions. She worked there for many years before immigrating to Canada in 2018 to work with Toronto’s most famous emiliano chef, Gabriele Paganelli (chef/co-owner Speducci). 

True to her visual arts background, Laura believes every dish should look as delicious as it tastes. And though she loves fine dining and innovation, her approach is rooted in traditional Italian cooking. “Always keeping it simple,” she says, “and valorizing every ingredient.”