Lamb, tomatoes, apples, squash; heirloom garlic, asparagus, leeks; peppers and peaches and cheese. Th ese are only samples of the rich and varied agricultural products grown in the Windsor-Essex Region. As a restauranteur, Chef Rino Bortolin has always believed that working with local farmers and butchers is an important part of building strong community spirit: these days, with a restaurant located on Elliot Street and with a farming community that is richer and more diverse than ever,Rino's Kitchen is as close to 100% local as you can get. It's the only restaurant of its kind in the city. And now, he's sharing his recipes with us.

Rino's Kitchen is the product of decades of Bortolin's experience, both as a chef, a restauranteur, a supplier, and a cooking instructor. With easy-to-follow recipes arranged by season, guides to butchery and local suppliers, and instructions on canning and preservemaking, Rino's Kitchen is all you need to learn how to buy and cook locally.

Rino Bortolin's profile page

Chef Rino Bortolin has been in the hospitality industry for 22 years. He has cooked at Il Gabbiano, Nico Ristorante, Porcino, and Spring Wine Bar; he has also owned and managed three Windsor-area restaurants (Vivo! Ristorante, 2000-2005, The Black Kettle Bistro, 2008-2010, and Rino's Kitchen, 2010-present). His restaurants have been praised as Best New Restaurant (BizX), Best Wait Staff (Room), and have won the Hospitality Hero Award. This is his first cookbook.