6 minute read
The Liberty Entertainment Group
The Aprile Entries: From The Mosh Pit to Michelin
Welcome to the the Aprile Entries. In each issue, Celebrity Chef Claudio Aprile recounts casual conversations and experiences with people, places and events in the community. Otherwise, you’ll find him performing his role as Culinary Director at Via Allegro and Di Marios or at home cooking, and creating recipes.
Written By Claudio Aprile | @ClaudioAprile1 | ClaudioAprile.com | Photos By Liberty Entertainment Group
I first met Nick Di Donato when I was 23 years old. It was at The Left Bank on Queen Street West. I was applying for my first-ever sous chef position. In the nineties, Nick was dominating the nightlife space in Toronto. “King of Clubs” was his title. I was nervous and excited all at the same time. I just wanted to work in a restaurant where creativity was encouraged, and from what I knew, Nick was prioritizing just that. Left Bank was the first of its kind: a hybrid restaurant and nightclub. The restaurant was a magnet for the arts, creativity and celebrity. On any night you would see Robert Downey Jr., Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Bono… and that was just a Wednesday.
The Left Bank was the beginning of my career. Nick created an establishment at the epicentre of everything cool in Toronto. This was also an exciting time for music. The Smashing Pumpkins, Sound Garden, and Sonic Youth were all dropping landmark albums. The film industry was also transforming. Spielberg was making room for new directors like Tarantino. Pulp Fiction, Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, and so many other indie films were emerging. The creative culture was in metamorphosis and was evolving into something that we hadn’t seen before. At this time, Liberty Group, helmed by Nick, was hosting 30,000-40,000 people on any given night. His ability and intuition to anticipate how people want to be entertained has always been a trait I deeply admire. It’s also likely one of the many reasons he’s achieved sustained success in an industry that isn’t for the faint of heart.
Nick is one of the most visionary entrepreneurs in North America. He’s a true master of entertainment. He’s been able to execute successful concepts in all areas of hospitality, from hosting iconic music artists at the Phoenix concert venue to creating stunning weddings at the Liberty Grand. Sadly, the Phoenix, which Nick created in 1991, announced its closure recently after 33 years as one of the city’s premier establishments.
He transformed Casa Loma, which was once a sleepy landmark and is now a multi-programmed venue hosting Christmas and Halloween events and so much more. His restaurants are always beautiful and elegant, and have a Liberty Group signature ambiance. Whether you’re dining at Cibo, Blue Blood Steak House, Pizza Wine Disco, Da Nico, Paris Texas or Blue Bovine, you know to expect great food, exciting energy and elevated service. Nick’s latest accomplishment was a Michelin Star at Don Alfonso 1890. Very few hospitality groups can execute such a diverse portfolio.
To truly understand Nick’s inherent hospitality abilities and his strategic moves, we have to go back to where it all started. Nick was born in a town outside of Naples, Italy called San Nicola. After he and his family immigrated to Toronto, Nick’s father, Rocco, opened a restaurant called Lorenzo. At the time, he was just a young boy who loved to help his father out at the restaurant. He’d bus tables, clear plates and do whatever needed to be done.
Nick watched his dad work tirelessly at the restaurant, but over time he found that the one restaurant was underperforming. Like many immigrant parents, Nick’s parents wanted him to set his sights on a university degree. Nick attended The University of Toronto and graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Professional Engineering Degree. However, Nick was bit by the hospitality bug and soon realized that his dream wasn’t in his field of study, but in the family business. He started on his path and vowed to learn from his dad. His philosophy is that there is longevity in diversity. With only one restaurant, you can only cater to a limited number of people. He would soon engineer a dynamic hospitality group that had something for everyone.
Now, I can’t speak to Nick’s success without mentioning someone important to him, and Liberty Group as a whole. Most successful companies consist of partnerships that create a synergy where one plus one equals six. That’s where Nadia comes in. Nadia, who is Nick’s wife, serves as the Creative Director and Vice President of Liberty Group. She is one of the most distinguished and celebrated designers in North America. Her aesthetic is visible in every square foot, every light fixture and every sightline in all the restaurants she’s designed. What makes Nadia so powerful is her ability to switch from a Michelin restaurant to Legends of Horror at Casa Loma to casual Italian at Cibo. She moves seamlessly between so many opposing disciplines and spaces and truly complements Nick’s business philosophy.
During Covid, we saw so many restaurant groups retract or disappear. It was a tough time for our industry. Liberty Group managed to stay the course. Since 2021, they relocated and opened Don Alfonso at the Harbour Castle Hotel, which secured a Michelin Star. They opened Paris Texas, a sports and country bar in the vibrant and energized King West neighbourhood. More recently, Nick partnered with business giant Kevin O’Leary and Maple Leaf hockey player Mitch Marner on the Blue Bovine at the iconic Union Station.
Blue Bovine is a steak and sushi house with an elevated cocktail menu and an extensive wine list. Nick is currently working on a private members' wine club, and a new project slated to open in 2025.
The culinary and hospitality scene in Toronto is an ever-changing landscape. It’s hard to predict and in a constant state of evolution. One of the things that I can say for certain is that Nick, Nadia and the team at Liberty Group will continue to leave their indelible mark on the hospitality scene for years to come.
For more info, visit LibertyGroup.com
