Importations Vin I Vida Inc

In Montreal, you can find a Mexican who’s an expert in Italian food. His name is Juan Lopez, and the first recipe he learned to make was pizza. “I started making Italian meals. I don’t even know how to make Mexican food,” laughs Juan. The gourmet spent six years in the United States, honing his skills in the culinary field. He started as a dishwasher and then rose through the ranks. In fact, he met his wife while working together in a small Italian restaurant. The couple later stayed in Ottawa, where Juan worked in several establishments specializing in Italian cuisine.

During his early days in Montreal, Juan cooked at La Salle à Manger, where he met his business partner, the restaurant’s chef and owner Samuel Pinard. It was there that Juan discovered Quebec products and forged relationships with local suppliers and farmers. After more than three years of loyal service, Juan left La Salle à Manger to help open a pizzeria in Little Italy. Working there provided the opportunity to reconnect with Italian cuisine. His passion for Italy also took him to Naples, Rome, and the Isle of Ischia. He worked in a number of establishments there, alongside excellent chefs, before finally returning to Montreal to open Farine with his compadre, Sam.