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Michael Rubino
With a discerning eye for design and uncompromising standards Michael Rubino
is half of the dynamic and successful Rubino-restaurants duo, and the person
responsible for the 'front of the house' and business sides of their
restaurants. In addition to leading the creative team for the series
together with Guy, and being involved in all aspects of the production as an
Executive Producer, Michael is the sole Producer of Season III of made to
order.
Michael graduated from Sir Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario
with an Honours Degree in Business Administration. He briefly took his
talents to the world of big business and finance, but it didn¹t take long
for him to unleash his entrepreneurial spirit.
In 1987 he partnered with his brother, Guy, in their first restaurant
venture, Gourmet Greens, and they jumped into the challenging and
competitive industry. The Toronto café soon blossomed into a hugely
successful catering business. The brothers later turned their focus to fine
dining and in 1997 opened the internationally acclaimed Zoom Caffe and Bar
in Toronto¹s financial district, in a soaring space that once housed a bank.
Zoom¹s mix of outstanding food and service in a dramatic space marked the
indisputable arrival of the Rubino brothers on the fine dining scene, and
its ultra-private private dining room soon became the city¹s most requested.
Michael and Guy¹s previous successes paled against the media and public
frenzy that erupted with the opening of their next restaurant, rain, in
2001. rain has continued to garner international recognition and its design
has received some of the most coveted international awards, including the
Gold Key Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design, at the premier interior
design competition for the hospitality industry the year it opened,
(Restaurant Seating to 110 and Best of Show Award), and ranking in the
IIDA¹s Decade of Design Awards as one of the top ten interior design
projects from 1994-2004. By the time the brothers opened their most recent
restaurant, Luce, in 2004, an adoring following of the 'Rubino way' were
anxiously awaiting its arrival.
Always interested in developing new projects, Michael and Guy met with Food
Network Canada in 2001 to discuss the possibility of a show hosted by them.
When the network confirmed its interest in a television series that would
take viewers on a guided tour of the inner workings of an acclaimed high-end
restaurant, Michael and Guy partnered with Henry Less and embarked on yet
another new venture. As a creator, host and Executive Producer of the
series, Michael has been involved in all aspects of the series. He has
handled and negotiated the international distribution of made to order,
placing it in over 150 countries.
Michael is well recognized as a master of hospitality with a charm and
gift for making everyone feel welcome. He has an extensive knowledge of
wine and enjoys continually learning more in that endless field, as well as
exploring international cuisines, and has travelled to France, Spain, Italy,
Chile, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan in the last few years. He has
participated in industry panels, made guest appearances on television shows,
and been a guest speaker at culinary and design showcases.
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