Michael Bonacini

Celebrity chef Michael Bonacini is the co-founder of Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality, one of Canada's leading restaurant and event groups. O&B's diverse portfolio includes a collection of unique and innovative restaurants, event spaces, a bakery, and several strategic partnerships. Born and raised in Tenby, South Wales, he was educated in London, his North Italian father and Welsh mother both had a huge impact on Michael's culinary upbringing. Bonacini spent his youth helping out with the family-run hotel business, where he learned the ins and outs of the hospitality industry. Bonacini trained classically under Chef Anton Mosimann at London's Dorchester Hotel, before immigrating to Canada in 1985 and partnering with veteran restaurateur Peter Oliver in 1993. His first restaurant collaboration with Oliver was a New York-style bistro named Jump. Today their operations have grown to include à la carte dining, quick service, catering, and private dining, with restaurants and event venues across four provinces.