Canadian celebrity chef, David Rocco is known to many as the host of La Dolce Vita – Italian for The Sweet Life – seen on channels such as The Food Network Canada and in over 150 other countries. The show has also spun off cookbooks as well as a companion soundtrack. On the show, which is filmed all over Italy. On the show, David shows viewers what it’s like to truly live the sweet life, whether it be in an urban setting or in the countryside, creating different types of foods. The show is not only about the food itself, but how food applies to style – the dishes are simple, easy-to-create meals. It truly gives off the sweet life. After all, it is all about connecting with friends and family and is, according to David, a “state of mind and appreciating those moments throughout the day.”
Recently, David was named one of Canada’s “Top 20 Stylemakers” by Flare magazine. To him, a sense of style, especially when it is related to food and travel is about creating one’s “own look and style is all about knowing who you are, what you like, and what you have to work with….that’s just like creating a great meal, you have to have the right ingredients and know how they all compliment and work together.” It’s also very important that one doesn’t try to hard – David believes in simplicity, not overkill.
Besides being a style icon and chef, David is also heavily works with the community. He has collaborated with the Heart and Stroke Foundation to create healthy recipes and later this year, will be involved with the Chef’s Challenge: The Ultimate Battle for a Cure, a fundraising event for Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital to bring awareness to breast and ovarian cancers. The event will have the top 25 fundraisers (everyone must raise at least $2,500) and they create a multicourse meal under the supervision of uber-celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay.
Outside of Canada, La Dolce Vita can be seen on The Cooking Channel in the US (where the third season just premiered) as well as BBC Food in the UK. In addition to shows and books, David has listed many recipes on his website.
