Ricky Casipe & Olivia Simpson

chefs, ricky + olivia
toronto, canada

Ricky gravitated towards athletics and sports instead of academics in school. Through athletics, he developed leadership skills that he now uses in the kitchen. “Being a good captain and teammate translates to being a good leader and chef, It’s like being part of a team again. But most importantly, I was always told girls love a guy that can cook, so that pretty much made my decision for me…”

Ricky became executive chef at Hawthorne Food and Drink at the young age of 23, where he was also a teacher and instructor as Hawthorne doubles as a training facility for youth and those on social support. His trainees can be found working around the GTA in restaurants and hotels today.

After 3 years at Hawthorne, Ricky joined in a partnership role at AFT Kitchen and Bar and Olivia joined as his co-chef. Eventually they felt like they needed to create their own path, which is why they decided to create their own start-up: Ricky+Olivia.
Similar to most chefs, Olivia cooked at home quite often with her family. Her mom’s side of the family is Eastern European and food was always the main event at their gatherings. She developed a true appreciation of how to connect with people through food and different cultures.

Olivia went to school for food science and nutrition at George Brown College, but ended up in the kitchen and fell in love. What also sparked her interest was the experience you can create with people and the ability to connect with complete strangers on a common level: food.

She has worked in many kitchens in Toronto, some including; Bar Buca, Oliver & Bonacini Catering, Saturday Dinette and Hawthorne Food and Drink. Olivia also travelled and lived in New York City, staging and working in some of New York’s finest; including Dirt Candy, Mission Chinese, and Blue Hill Stone Barns.

You can find them at their patio pop-up at Westcott Vineyards during the summer months, celebrating Ontario's diversity through playful and nostalgic dishes. During the winter you can find them across Ontario showcasing their commitment to local and seasonal food and drink.