Chef of Chef Works: Ivana Raca

Chef of Chef Works: Ivana Raca

Chef Ivana Raca
Location: Ufficio Boemo


1. Tell us a little bit about your kitchen:

Ufficio is a pescatarian vegetarian restaurant with an Italian flare. It’s more upscale than anything. We use local ingredients and also high end Italian ingredients. It’s a mix of simplicity and elevating it to the next level.


2. What was your first cooking job?

I worked at North 44 when I was 17 years old.


3. Your Cooking Inspiration:

Local ingredients, comfort food, simplicity, I pay a lot of attention to that.


4. Your Specialty Dish:

Risotto or gnocchi.


5. Weirdest Thing You Ever Ate:

I had sea urchin, I find them disgusting.


6. Favourite Things to Do When Not Cooking:

Traveling and yoga. I love Europe, the last time I went, I didn’t want to come back.


7. Your latest project:

My latest project is a restaurant called “Resto Boemo”. It means “free spirit”, which is me and how I like to cook. When you see Raca’s Café, anybody who walks in there knows it’s really Zen. That’s how the whole spirit thing came along, we can do whatever we feel like.

The goal is to not put ourselves in a box or a corner. We want to cook whatever our customers ask for, whatever we feel like, whatever is in season. You always have to be evolving to success.


8. Favourite Gadget/equipment:

Sous vide machine and Juicer!


9. Your favourite Chef Works item:

I am loving all the new female jackets in the 2017 line, they are fitted for women and our shapes and curves.


Follow Chef Ivana Raca on social media!

Instagram @chefivanaraca

Website www.ufficiorestaurant.com


If you’re a chef or would like to nominate one, email marketing@chefworks.ca.