THERE’S a new face at one of Chester’s most popular eateries.
La Cantina in Boughton already prides itself on serving high quality Italian cuisine thanks to its owner Liz Evans and her husband Mark, who has Venetian ancestry.
But now head chef Mark has a helping hand in the kitchen in the form of new cook Gianpaolo Capotosti.
The 22-year-old comes to Chester from Rieti, in Lazio near Rome, where he previously worked in a high quality Roman countryside restaurant and boutique hotel.
He also has worked in a top Italian restaurant in Stuttgart, Germany.
Mr and Mrs Evans, who both used to live in Italy, hope that their new addition will bring nothing but more of best quality produce and an interest and passion of how things are executed in Italian kitchens.
Mrs Evans said: “Gianpaolo is already proving a big success at La Cantina.
“His specialities include homemade pastas,a range of lovely Roman desserts and a broad knowledge of cooking meat and fish 'alla braccia' , which means cooked on a heated barbecue style range.
“We hope he will be with us for a while.”
It has been a difficult year for the Evans family, who lost their beloved son Daniel who was killed on a railway line just outside Chester in March.
The 28-year-old had been born in Italy and was immensely proud of his Italian heritage, often helping his father out in the restaurant kitchen.
Mrs Evans said his presence in their lives is still ‘greatly missed’.
“We all miss Daniel's involvement at the heart of the restaurant with us since he passed away but all the old and new staff are working to take forward the ethos of quality cuisine executed simply that he was an integral part of,” she added.
For more information on La Cantina Food and Wine tastings, Cookery School or midweek offers, visit www.lacantinachester.com.
