A first-generation Canadian born to Italian parents, Chef Rob Gentile’s culinary roots trace back to his grandmother’s kitchen and garden, where he first learned that food was sacred. His family grew their own produce, raised animals, cured meats, fermented grapes, and preserved everything possible. That early education at home inspired his first restaurant job at age 13 and confirmed that his life would revolve around food.
Gentile attended George Brown’s Culinary School and entered the professional kitchen world at age 18 under celebrated chef Mark McEwan at North 44. Over a decade, he rose from line cook to chef de cuisine across McEwan’s top restaurants, developing a meticulous, ingredient-first philosophy.
In 2009, he partnered with Peter Tsebelis and Gus Giazitzidis to open Buca, a refined Italian restaurant that quickly became one of Toronto’s most acclaimed dining destinations. Gentile gained recognition for his disciplined craft and visionary approach to Italian cuisine, earning awards from the Ontario Hostelry Institute (2015 Gold Award for Independent Restaurateur), Canada’s 100 Best (ranking Buca Osteria & Bar second in the country in 2016), and a Pinnacle Award from Foodservice and Hospitality for Company of the Year in Eastern Canada (2014).
Today, Chef Rob Gentile brings his signature style to Los Angeles as executive chef of Stella in the heart of the city, continuing to elevate Italian cooking with precision, reverence, and creativity.
