#FOOD: RADICI PROJECT TO OPEN DOORS IN LITTLE ITALY TORONTO

Toronto’s Little Italy welcomes Radici Project, a new Italian Japanese restaurant rooted in seasonality, sustainability, and storytelling. The restaurant is co-owned by husband-and-wife duo, Executive chef Emiliano Del Frate and Kayo Ito. Del Frate got his culinary start at some of the world’s top spots, including MICHELIN-starred Noma, then moved on to hone his craft in Toronto at MICHELIN-starred Don Alfonso 1890 and, most recently, MICHELIN-starred DaNico. Manager Kayo Ito is a hospitality expert whose impressive career spans top-tier establishments including Nobu Toronto and JONI at the Park Hyatt. Located at 588 College Street, Radici Project will officially open to the public on April 30, offering a seasonally evolving menu rooted in sustainability, care, and storytelling. The restaurant will operate Wednesday through Sunday from 5:00 pm to 12:00 am and features a dual concept layout with a casual à la carte natural wine bar at the front and an intimate chef’s table at the back. Reservations for Radici Project are now open. Secure your spot HERE.

​​Emiliano and Kayo first met while working together at a restaurant in Toronto. From there, their relationship blossomed as they fell in love, got married, and travelled across Europe and Japan. Radici Project is a reflection of their shared values and enduring partnership. The name Radici means “roots” in Italian, a tribute to their journey and a symbol of the life they are building together in the city where it all began.

We had the pleasure of previewing a Tasting Menu prior to their launch. Some highlights:

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The Culinary Vision
Radici’s menu brings together Japanese and Italian philosophies through the use of high-quality Canadian ingredients, with a focus on seasonality that allows ingredients to shine at their peak. This approach is inspired by a style of cooking known as Itameshi, which blends Japanese and Italian culinary traditions into inventive yet grounded dishes. The two cuisines naturally complement each other through their shared respect for simplicity, seasonality, and technique.

“In Japan, seasonal menus are the norm and for good reason. I love working with ingredients at their absolute best,” says Emiliano. “While at Noma, I had the chance to forage daily and I noticed how similar the Canadian landscape felt. That mindset is now part of my cooking identity.” The menu at Radici Project is designed to evolve throughout the year, inviting returning guests to discover something new while maintaining the care and consistency that is at the heart of the restaurant. “It is not about exclusivity,” Emiliano adds. “It is about creating something honest, relaxed, and thoughtful. A place where people feel welcomed and nourished.”

Executive chef and co-owner Emiliano Del Frate

Originally from Italy, Emiliano Del Frate has spent more than a decade shaping Toronto’s fine dining scene. He played a key role in opening MICHELIN-starred Don Alfonso 1890 and served as Executive Sous Chef at DaNico during its MICHELIN-star win. Internationally, he was part of the kitchen team at Gucci Osteria in Tokyo when it earned its first MICHELIN-star, and was at Noma in Copenhagen when it was awarded its third MICHELIN-star. This speaks to his talent and ability to thrive in some of the most celebrated and competitive kitchens in the world. He also gained experience at ADMO in Paris, a limited-time fine dining collaboration between Alain Ducasse and Albert Adrià, as well as spending a year at Washoku Itagaki in Japan. “Radici is the culmination of everything Kayo and I have learned, lived, and loved,” says Emiliano.

His mentor, chef Daniele Corona, executive chef at DaNico, adds, “Emiliano is one of the most disciplined and thoughtful chefs I have worked with. Radici is a beautiful reflection of who he is. Precise, humble, and deeply passionate.”

Manager and co-owner Kayo Ito

Born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan, Kayo Ito brings over nine years of hospitality experience to her role as Radici Project’s manager. Her background includes time at Nobu Toronto and JONI at the Park Hyatt, where she developed a refined and intuitive approach to service that will shape the guest experience at Radici Project.

Kayo is also a certified sake sommelier and worked closely with celebrated sommelier Debbie Shing of Quvé and Chef Emiliano Del Frate, to curate a beverage pairing program that includes sake, wine, and cocktails.

Deeply involved in every aspect of the restaurant, Kayo also played a key role in shaping the interior design. She worked with renowned Ikebana artist Aya Sugino to craft a floral arrangement that adds a calmness and freshness to the space.“This restaurant is very personal for us,” says Kayo. “Just like the fresh ingredients Emiliano uses in the kitchen, we wanted the space to feel warm, natural, and calming. Every detail, from the flow of the room to the floral arrangements, was designed to reflect the beauty of nature and make people feel instantly at ease.”

The Menu
Radici Project’s menu will celebrate Canadian ingredients and thoughtful technique, blending the flavours and philosophies of both Italian and Japanese cuisine. With approximately 70 percent of ingredients sourced locally, the menu will change often based on what is in season.

This commitment to local sourcing is reflected in the restaurant’s close collaboration with its producers, including Acadian Sturgeon and Caviar Inc., a family-run Canadian business led by Cornel Ceapa, who immigrated from Romania. Acadian’s caviar, known for its quality, adds a distinctive touch to Radici’s elegant plates.

Sample Menu:
BC Dungeness Crab- delicately crowned with almond foam and finished with Acadian caviar.

Duck Breast Cured in Beeswax- served with lacto fermented plums, grilled duck neck, and silky lardo.

Honey, Chamomile and Pollen- a honey-steamed sponge cake layered with milk cream, chamomile custard, chamomile gel, and a pollen and honey tuile.

Beverage Program
The beverage program at Radici Project was developed by Manager and certified sake sommelier Kayo Ito, celebrated sommelier Debbie Shing, and executive chef Emiliano Del Frate. Reflecting the same philosophy as the menu, the selection is grounded in harmony, precision, and care, with a focus on pairing beautifully with the food.

Highlights include:
Vai Con Dio: A refreshing cocktail made with Valley of Mother of God Gin from Ontario, yuzu sake from Japan, and house made kombucha. Bright and herbal, it mirrors the freshness and nuance found in the dishes.

Keigetsu Cel24 Junmai Daiginjo from Kochi, Japan: A fragrant sake brewed with a unique yeast strain developed in Kochi Prefecture. Its fruit-forward and elegant profile pairs beautifully with seafood and vegetable courses.

Dassai 39 Junmai Daiginjo from Yamaguchi, Japan: Polished to 39 percent, this sake offers floral aromatics, refined fruit notes, and a clean, balanced finish that enhances delicate preparations.
Amaro Nepeta MAJORA from Sicily, Italy: A bold and complex herbal liqueur made with Nepitella mint and Sicilian citrus. It is ideal as a digestif or to lend depth to Radici’s cocktail offerings.
Drawing on Italian, Japanese, and Canadian influences, the beverage list includes premium sake, natural wines, and cocktails that thoughtfully complement the flavour profiles and seasonal ingredients featured in the kitchen.

The Space
Designed by Emiliano and Kayo, the restaurant’s interior blends Japanese and Nordic minimalism with Canadian warmth. Natural textures, soft wood, and a calm neutral palette create a serene and intimate dining environment. Original works by local Canadian artists add further depth and personality to the space.

Radici Project accommodates 44 guests indoors, including six seats at the bar, and features a patio space that can be booked as a private dining area for two to ten guests, making it ideal for intimate gatherings and special occasions.

Guests are invited to experience the restaurant in multiple ways. At the front, the casual à la carte menu and natural wine bar offer a relaxed and approachable start to the evening. From there, they can transition to the chef’s table at the back of the restaurant, where a more intimate dining experience awaits. With a view into the open kitchen, guests can watch chef Emiliano and his team in action and enjoy direct interaction with the chef as he explains each dish, creating a deeper connection to the meal and the philosophy behind it

Radici Project is a deeply personal restaurant. From sourcing to renovation, friends and family have been at the core of its creation. The bread served in the restaurant is baked by Errico Giordano, Emiliano’s longtime friend, whose wedding Emiliano had the honour of standing in as best man. Originally from Naples, Errico bakes using a natural sourdough starter made with dried cranberries that he has nurtured for six years. The starter is known to be gentler on blood sugar and more suitable for those with gluten sensitivity. Many of the finishing touches in the space were handcrafted by close friends, underscoring the collective love and effort poured into the project. At its core, Radici Project is a restaurant built on love, loyalty, and community. To experience this amazing food firsthand, reservations can be made HERE.

About Radici
Radici s a contemporary Italian-Japanese restaurant located in Toronto’s Little Italy. Founded by husband-and-wife duo Chef Emiliano Del Frate and Kayo Ito, Radici offers Italian-Japanese cuisine through a seasonally evolving menu rooted in sustainable practices and the use of Canadian ingredients. The restaurant features a dual-concept layout, with a casual à la carte natural wine bar at the front and an intimate chef’s table experience at the back. With thoughtful sake and wine pairings and a serene, locally inspired space, Radici brings a new kind of storytelling to Toronto’s dining scene.