19 Plates Of Lasagna For COVID-19

Original Story Published on Behind the Plate with Kenzie Osborne.

The food industry is the most giving one out there… Honestly… The chefs I meet, the workers I speak with, and the staff I see on a daily basis are absolutely incredible. It doesn’t matter what hardships they’re going through — YOU are always their number one concern… This week, I had the opportunity to speak with Chef Igor of Ballaro Fine Dining (Mission Lasagna) in Toronto ON. Although the past year has been tough and unexpected, Chef Igor has found peace within the kitchen. The uncertainty in this world is devastating.. But, rather than dwelling upon the unforeseen situation, he’s proudly serving the one meal guaranteed to set our minds at ease: a big plate of homemade lasagna.

Chef Igor Of Mission Lasagna

Chef Igor is a fourth generation hospitality entrepreneur. Giving, serving, and creating experiences for others is something that’s always been within him. For him, cooking isn’t about learning skills or techniques — it’s about discovering the passion and talent already inside of you.

“Cooking is something you continuously discover within yourself. Sure, you can learn a few basic techniques, but the best thing a chef can do is to reflect upon themselves for inspiration.”

Chef Igor constantly creates, adapts, and innovates new culinary experiences. As a child, he was always fascinated by the transformation of ingredients from the garden to the table. And, of course, he was a big fan of the large family get togethers and holiday feasts. The process of chopping, preparing, cooking, and eating was incredible — and to this day, those memories are held close to his heart.

“I’m not sure whether I learned to walk or to cook first… I’m Italian — it’s in our blood to cook and eat. To be honest, I never really considered being a chef until I had kids. I loved cooking, of course, but it wasn’t a career choice. When I had kids, I challenged myself to come up with new food that was healthy, AND that they would actually enjoy. I had so much fun being creative and decided that I wanted to pursue a career that involved innovating new food.”

Chef Igor put his heart and soul into the dishes he made for his children. He wanted to prepare something they would truly enjoy — all while providing them with a nutritious meal. In doing so, Chef Igor’s passion for cooking only grew deeper.

Sharing His Food With The Community

In 2009, Chef Igor decided to open his first restaurant in Italy. The restaurant was booming and everyone was loving his tasty offerings. But, as many restaurants in 2020, the situation at his restaurant quickly turned sour… COVID-19 had begun to break out in Europe, and Italy was at the brunt of the pandemic. As a result, Chef Igor was forced to shut down his restaurant…

In December of 2019, Chef Igor and his family moved to Toronto in hopes of opening a new restaurant with a similar concept. They were eager to start their life in Canada and reach a new set of guests in the diverse city of Toronto. In February of 2020, Chef Igor was more determined than ever to start up his new concept. He envisioned serving his guests classic fine dining dishes (primarily seafood) with modern-twists.

Chef Igor opened the doors to his restaurant just three days before COVID-19 struck Canada. Once again, his restaurant had fallen victim to the pandemic… He was devastated… All he dreamt of was to have an opportunity to share his culture with the community, and both opportunities to do so had been taken away…

Re-Imagining The Restaurant

As restaurants transitioned to delivery and take-out service, Chef Igor was forced to recreate his entire menu. “Originally, our concept was to be a seafood restaurant. You can’t serve seafood to-go — it’s not a food that travels and reheats well. So, I had to re-write my menu and come up with a completely new restaurant concept.”

At this point, Chef Igor was close to entering a state of depression. Life was difficult, and his dreams seemed to be crumbling apart. He began to think back to the meals that comforted him during tough times…

“I wanted to create an experience that would encourage families to get together, connect, and feel comfortable during the tough times. The first dish that came to mind was Lasagna. It was the perfect, familiar, and family-oriented meal to serve to the community. So, we transformed our fine-dining menu into a menu full of lasagnas… Actually, we transformed it into a menu of 19 lasagnas — each named after a nurse who had worked the lines during the pandemic in Italy.”

Wow. Everything about this is unbelievably awh-worthy. After being forced to shut down two restaurants, and having to recreate a menu concept from scratch — Chef Igor was STILL more concerned about the community than himself…. He focussed on providing families with a sense of comfort and togetherness. And, in doing so, he was paying respect to those who were working the front lines to help save the lives of those suffering in Italy…

But, For Chef Igor, That Wasn’t Quite Enough…

“At the beginning of the pandemic, people were so uncertain, afraid and uncomfortable. To ease their discomfort, I decided to hand-deliver the lasagnas to our guests in little Italy. It cost quite a bit of time and money, but it was worth it to be able to provide them a moment of happiness in the tough times.”

As people stayed in their homes, the orders for lasagnas were few and far between. But, cooking was what brought Chef Igor a sense of peace and normalcy in the “abnormal” times… He couldn’t stop — so he kept kneading the dough, preparing the sauce, and assembling the lasagna.

“We couldn’t just stop cooking. It’s our love and passion — it was what was bringing us joy through the long days. We weren’t concerned about making money, we just wanted an outlet for creativity and inspiration to keep us sane. As we continued to cook, we began to donate the lasagnas to Seeds of Hope. Within a few weeks, we had donated over 1500 portions to the charity. It was so humbling to be able to share our food with those who were suffering. We’d have tables and tables of lasagna — all being picked up and donated to charity.”

I was awh-struck. Speechless. Floored. They’d lost nearly everything — yet they were still continuing to give, give, and give some more.

Sticking With The Comfort-Food Classic: Lasagna

As restrictions ease and restaurants return to a somewhat-normal dining routine, Chef Igor has decided to keep his new “lasagna” theme. The idea that was originally his only choice has transformed into a beautiful opportunity to innovate a brand new experience for his guests.

“Every week we serve one regional, fine dining meal from Italy. But, rather than adhering to the traditional presentations, we are re-imagining each dish as a lasagna. We’ve deconstructed the dishes and reconstructed them into layers — just like you’d see in a lasagna.”

I LOVE this concept. The idea of taking a negative situation (closing due to the pandemic) and turning it into something inspiring (a new culinary innovation to bring comfort to guests) is incredible. It brings a new comforting, familiar feel to a fine dining dinner. The meals are accessible, enjoyable, and unexpected. It’s certainly a concept that reflects what Toronto is all about — diversity, inclusion, and innovation.

Welcoming New Flavours Into The Toronto Food Scene

Introducing a new concept to the Toronto dining culture adds even more depth and interest to the emerging “Canadian food scene”. Chef Igor is particularly impressed with the improvements in Canada’s food scene over the past decade-or-so.

“I was in Canada about 7–8 years ago, and the food scene was nothing like it is today. Now, you can find so many different cuisines and cultures represented. Plus, the authenticity of the dishes that are served is fairly accurate.”

Of course, eating at a restaurant inspired by another culture will never be EXACTLY the same as the food in their home country — but, it CAN come pretty darn close. Chef Igor works hard to provide the most authentic dining experience for his guests, while using fresh, local ingredients when possible.

”I want to use the highest quality of ingredients and serve them in a familiar and comfortable way. The quality will never be sacrificed… I will always import parmigiano, mozzarella, prosciutto, pecorino, pancetta, and a few other native Italian ingredients from Italy. But, of course, I’ll work with local farmers to purchase the freshest produce in town. In addition to that, everything else we make is prepared from scratch in-house. The bread, buns, pasta — it’s all from scratch. Serving the best quality is the only option… It’s that simple.”

Chef Igor is proud to continuously be able to provide the best-of-the-best to the community. He puts his love and passion into each and every plate he serves. “When you put your hands in the dough, you become completely involved. A part of you goes into the dough — and that’s what makes it truly special. You need to put your love into everything you make — it’s the most important ingredient. It’s one that you certainly cannot forget.”

Thank You!

Thank you SO MUCH to Chef Igor for taking the time to speak with me and share your incredible story! I am beyond impressed and thankful for the work you have done in the community… You have truly made a world of difference in the lives of others, and I have no doubt that your food has brought a smile to so many within our community.

If you’re begging to try a bite of Chef Igor’s food, go ahead and check out his website HERE. Don’t forget to follow there insta HERE to stay up-to-date on their latest culinary creations and comforting fine-dining food!

Before I let Chef Igor cook up yet another lasagna, I had a few Quickfire Questions to ask…

Quickfire Questions

What Is Your Signature Dish?

“I can’t answer that… How can you ask a father which kid he likes best? They’re all different and special in their own way — but in the end, they’re still all your kids.”

What Is Your Favourite Food Memory?

“I think all of my memories are about food… I guess one stand out has to be when my dad would prepare his ragu. It was one of my favourite dishes as a kid. Another one, of course, is the memory of waking up to the smell of breakfast. It’s almost like getting a giant food hug first thing in the morning!”

Do You Cook With Your Own Kids?

“Yes! When they were young, they’d sit on top of the counter and mix together ingredients as I added them to their bowls. I think they were literally cooking before they were walking. Nowadays, we’ll send each other pictures of what we made for dinner. It’s almost become a competition of who can make the best meal. We even have a Whatsapp group called “Grilled Lobster” just to share pictures of our family food… Honestly..”

What Is The BEST Dish You’ve Ever Eaten?

“Haha, it’s so simple… It’s the one dish that I’ve always loved — and still do to this day… We always say that your kitchen is always second to momma’s kitchen — and it’s so true. My mom used to make the best milanese cutlet. It’s simply veal that has been breaded with eggs and flour! She served it with potatoes and sautéed swiss chard. To this day, it’s still my favourite.”

Final Thoughts?

“Any chef is the creator of a special moment in someone else’s life. But, it’s not the ingredients that are the most important part… It’s how the ingredients are cared for, how they’re prepared, and who you’re sharing the meal with. A bowl of french fries could be the best meal you’ve ever had… And, the best 5-star dish in the world could be the one that you’ll forget about in a minute…”

Craving More?

Pair your lasagna with extra the chewiest, ooey-est, and gooey-est cookies from Dunked Bakery.