Many people love cooking and some are even passionate enough to make it their career. For Mario Vena, however, cooking is more than just a job or passion; it’s been his way of life ever since he was a child in Italy. “I was born into the business,” the owner and head chef of Catering by Mario says. “I’ve worked in restaurants, in hotels, in many different places. I’m a chef by trade, all I do is make food and make people happy. And that makes me happy.”
Catering by Mario was born from Mario’s experience in the world of fine dining, where he noticed a growing passion for quality food among the residents of the GTA. Seeing an opportunity to cook different foods for different situations every day, Mario moved into the world of catering. “We owned a restaurant, and I saw there was a change in perception in the world of fine dining,” recalls Mario. “We felt we’d be in more control with catering. It’s constantly changing, and we don’t have to make cookie cutter menu items every day.”