Long-time Sault chef, restaurant owner opens up about food industry

In the latest episode of Stories from the North, chef Arturo Comegna from Sault Ste. Marie opens up about how he got into the restaurant business and why he stays.

Chef Arturo Comegna from Antico Ristoranté in Sault Ste. Marie. (Mike McDonald/CTV Northern Ontario)

Comegna grew up in Italy and said he was 12 years old when he got into the food industry.

His older brother was working at a restaurant at a ski resort around Christmas time and got him a job as a busboy.

"I went there and I fell in love with it and I never went back to school," Comegna said, but recommends that other kids stay in school.

'I JUST COULDN'T WORK IN A PLANT'

Comegna worked a few months at the steel plant after his father-in-law got him a job, but said it wasn't for him despite a higher wage.

"I just quit one day … and I think at the time we used to make $10 an hour at the steel plant and I went to work for Rico's Restaurant … for maybe $3.25 an hour," he said.

"I loved it. I love to be in the restaurant business."

Doing something he loves is important to him.

"You need to like people, you need to like what you're doing. You have to come to work with a high spirit," Comegna said.

"You can't come to work, 'oh, I got to go to work again.' See, I come to work and I love to be here."

FAMILY BUSINESS

Many years later, he is now in his third restaurant in Sault Ste. Marie.

First, he bought Rico's on Spring Street before opening Arturo Ristoranté on Queen Street, which is now owned by his sons Chris and Thomas.

In 2012, he opened Antico Ristoranté on Village Court, where he remains as owner and head chef.

Antico Ristoranté in Sault Ste. Marie was started in 2012 by chef Arturo Comegna. (Mike McDonald/CTV Northern Ontario)

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Comegna displays his paintings on the walls of his current restaurant.

'START FROM THE BOTTOM'

His advice for the aspiring chefs out there is to start from the bottom.

"Go to school for a year or two, in culinary, and then travel," Comegna said.

"Be all over the world, don't look at the money, but get experience."

He said to be successful it is important to know how to talk to people and give good service as a waiter.

As of now, he has no plans for retirement.

"I do like what I do, so I'll probably be here until I can't. Two, three, four years, five. I don't know," Comegna said.

"Maybe I'll be 90 years old and with a wheelchair and still cooking, I don't know. It's scary just thinking about retiring, which I don't want to do that. I'm not ready."