As Rome’s answer to ice cream continues to delight Toronto taste buds, some may be surprised to learn that Alessandro Settimi has sold the Mad Italian Gelato Bar.
"We received an offer from a company that was going to franchise Mad Italian, so we decided to take it, but we’re still involved with the business," he says.
Eli Turkienicz, president of PineMount Food Service Corp., has a background in real estate, but was interested in breaking into the food service business. He saw the opportunity to do so with the increasingly popular (but not entirely mainstream) gelato.
As the brand is expanded, Settimi will be consulted to ensure that the authentic Italian flavour the shop has come to be known for is preserved, Turkienicz says. The gelato will continue to be made by the same person, using the same recipe, at the same location.
They’re looking at broadening the menu to include treats that will complement the gelato. One recent addition is the Piccolini, a two-bite cake that comes in different flavours ($1.50).
Beyond expanding the offerings at the Leaside and Little Italy locations, Turkienicz is actively looking for a new location, with the goal of adding a third shop next spring.
Meanwhile, Settimi is cooking up a new Italian concept for the Toronto food scene. He reveals that it will be a chain of small pizzerias that sell by the slice.
"They’re going to be exactly how it’s done in Italy," he says.
Settimi is aiming to open three or four locations to start, sometime after October.
(The Mad Italian Gelato Bar, 1581 Bayview Ave., 416-901-4556)
