from toronto to LA

Felix Trattoria server Rosalind DeLost  moved to Toronto in 2015 from England to join her then-boyfriend, now husband. She started working at Gusto 101 and now, after making the move to Los Angeles, Roz is working at Felix Trattoria, another Gusto 54 restaurant! She tells us what it's like to live and work in both cities.

"My husband’s career as a music producer brought us to LA. I couldn’t resist the chance to escape Canadian winters, and despite being farther from my family in England, living and working in LA has been fantastic," she says. "Gusto 54 has a special charm that draws in incredibly warm individuals. I met my four best friends at Gusto 101, and despite moving on from there, we remain close."

"I miss the walkability of Toronto. In LA, a car is essential and my commute is about an hour, however, the celebrity culture here is fascinating—Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, and Gwyneth Paltrow have all visited while I’ve been working, which is just no big deal here." 

For Roz, working with Evan Funke and witnessing his culinary creativity has been a dream. "I also love visiting the farmers' market with Korina, our buyer, and learning about California's microclimates. Experiencing the incredible variety of produce is truly magical," she says. "Seeing beautiful produce transformed into a masterpiece and sharing its story with guests makes my job so rewarding."

Side Hustle: sandwich artist

Sebastian Galvez | Bartender | Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen

How do you describe your side hustle?
Prior to working at Chubby’s, I ran a Chilean-inspired sandwich shop called Sandwichito from a commissary kitchen on St. Clair West. Now I do popups and catering from my home kitchen.

What do you love most about your side hustle?
It really connected me to my family. This whole thing started with me trying to replicate dishes that my grandmother used to make. 

How does working at Gusto 54 complement your side hustle?
Bartending lets me be social. Being able to talk about popups or new projects I’m working on with co-workers or interested guests is great!

What is something you're proud of related to your side hustle?
Even though I only ran the shop full-time for about 9 months, I managed to build up a pretty strong following . On top of that, I was in Toronto Life magazine, BlogTO and in the Toronto Star. It all reminds me to keep working, and keep finding ways to bring my sandwiches to people.

one decade and counting

This month marks 10 years at Gusto 54 for Executive Chef Elio Zannoni. Chef Elio has been an integral part of the growth and success of Gusto 54 and, over they years, he has been a fixture in every one of our Toronto kitchens developing menus, training teams and sometimes, saving the day.

After honing his culinary skills at other well-known Toronto restaurants, like Cava and Ki, Elio joined Gusto 54 as Chef de Cuisine at Trattoria Nervosa in 2014. Since becoming Executive Chef, Elio has not only been responsible for managing all of our Toronto kitchen leaders, he was deeply involved in opening Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen, Gusto 501, Azhar Kitchen & Bar, Cafe ZUZU and our Kitchen Hub outposts.

Chef Elio was also at the forefront of keeping Gusto 54 alive during the COVID pandemic by helping the company pivot with innovative ideas like on-site "grocery stores", online cooking classes and increased takeout and delivery programs.

Happy Anniversary Elio! Thank you for your hard work, commitment and dedication to the health and success of Gusto 54 restaurants and teams. One decade and counting ...

FUN FACT: Chubby's famous Jamaican rum punch recipe was developed by Chef Elio!

Best of the city: LA edition

Felix Server Abby Brand shares some of her foodie favourite places to try in Los Angeles. Of course she couldn't pick just one Mexican spot.

Best Hidden Gem: Spicy BBQ
Best Restaurant: Providence
Best Coffee: Josh at Rabbits Coffee (at Pico and Robertson)
Best Pizza: Felix Trattoria & Pizzeria Sei
Best Thai: Luv2eat Thai Bistro
Best Bakery: Proof Bakery & République's AM pastries
Best Burger: Standings Butchery – back lot burgers on special Sundays made by Jose; all other times In-n-Out Burger
Best Caribbean: Sattdown Jamaican Grill
Best Brunch: Clark Street Diner (formerly Cafe 101) – BLUEBERRY PANCAKES!
Best Mexican: This question is unfair - this is LA! Sonoratown, Angels Tijuana Tacos, Tacos Tamix, Mariscos Jalisco, to name a few

Best Sushi: Sushi Fumi
Best Cocktail: Anywhere Shawn Lickliter or Max Reis are crafting cocktails. (Mirate and Petit Trois at the moment)

Best Neighbourhood: Wherever you’re going to eat! (Just leave before 3 pm and come back after 8 pm)

EVAN FUNKE: what's next?

Having learned the art of pasta early in his career, Felix chef/partner Evan Funke's singular passion as a pasta maker is only matched by his ardent dedication to seasonality, warmth in hospitality, and reverence for the deeply rooted culinary traditions of Italy. 

Since opening Felix Trattoria with Gusto 54 in 2017, Evan has been busy spreading his passion for Italy's culinary culture beyond Los Angeles. He has steadily grown a collection of critically acclaimed restaurants, starting with the eponymous Funke in Beverly Hills; his homage to la cucina Romana at Mother Wolf in Hollywood and Las Vegas at the Fontainebleau Hotel, with a forthcoming location in Miami; and Tre Dita at the St. Regis Hotel in Chicago. 

On October 2nd, you can see our two-time James Beard-nominated chef on Chef's Table: Noodles, the next installation Netflix's popular culinary series. His ventures let Evan do what he really loves – share his passion for the time-honored techniques of making pasta fatta a mano from various regions of Italy.