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The Santaguidas sure love their food

 

Marco Santaguida knew all those many years ago even as he worked toward an economics and political science degree while presiding as the University of Toronto’s student council president from 1994 to ’96 that his calling would one day involve food.

Today, the catering company and coffee shop that he owns and operates with his brother and sister-in-law, Carlos and Joanna Santaguida, count his alma mater as one of its valued customers.

Marco credits his success to his mother, Victoria, who taught her sons everything she knew around food. Both self-taught cooks who grew up surrounded by the culinary traditions of Italian cuisine, the Santaguida brothers have happily branched out their cooking style to include a more international approach including Asian, Mexican and Middle Eastern food.

“The best thing is doing what you really love to do,” says Marco, 42. “The catering and the café-bar really allow us to do what we love to do which is feed people. Not only is this an amazing career but even though our work days are so busy, it’s so satisfying and you end the day and say that was another great one despite the stress of it all.”

The catering business Santaguida Fine Foods and the café-bar Rapido are located on Bathurst Street near Dupont, an area that adjoins the Seaton Village neighbourhood to that of the Annex.

Santaguida has been catering for 16 years now. Opened originally by Marco at Dupont and Christie, his brother and sister-in-law would soon join the business, prompting the move to its current location. Marco loves the neighbourhood he’s in, describing it as a vibrant and eclectic strip that is rapidly changing with unique food shops, art galleries and other diverse retail and foodservice offerings.

“I believe Bathurst Street will be what it was in the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s,” he says.

A hop, skip and a jump from another thriving family business, Freeman Real Estate, Marco is quick to praise the Freemans as a wonderful family and a pivotal part of the neighbourhood.

One of Santaguida’s proudest achievements came in 2002 when the caterer prepared food for World Youth Day, which meant feeding 10,000 people who made the pilgrimage to Toronto from Italy to see the Pope.

In 2009, the brothers opened Rapido, across and down the street a bit from Santaguida’s. A European-inspired coffee bar featuring daily specials, grilled panini and fresh, delicious salads, try not to miss Taco Wednesdays and Burrito Fridays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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