Defining Nadia Di Donato and her husband Nick as a power couple would be putting it lightly. From the first time we met (less than a week ago at an Audi sustainability dinner), I appreciated not only how down to earth and approachable they are, but how easily you pick up on their genuine love. Very few couples can say this after a couple of years, let alone multiple decades–especially while running a business together…Even more so through a pandemic!
I haven’t seen many people look at their partners, the way I saw Nick stargazing at his wife across the room and on the set of this cover shoot. The mother of two (one son a medical doctor and the other a lawyer AND restaurateur who independently launched the “Pizza Wine Disco” concept on King West), clearly has multitasking down pat and looks good doing it too. Nadia Di Donato has become known for lending her seasoned eye for design, and creative direction to the much buzzed-about restaurants in the Liberty Group empire.
Where it all began…
Di Donato’s background isn’t in hospitality, but in graphic design. She calls herself “two-dimensional” as after graduating from what was then called Ryerson University, she entered the workforce as a designer and expanded her role into creative direction. “I was a creative director, but always in magazines and in print,” says Di Donato. “And when I started with Azure magazine in particular, it was centred on the interior design and architectural industry. So, I did actually grow my passion through my work. I met a lot of people in that industry and I was exposed to so many factions within architecture design. I had graphic design training and I was doing what I was doing, but I felt like there were always more doors to open on the architecture and design side of things.” Still, Di Donato stayed in print for nearly a decade. When she later joined Liberty Entertainment Group, she says the interior design aspect overflowed into all of the creative print the company produced.
“So, anything that you see that’s out there, from our menus, to our ads, to everything in between – that’s all my creative direction,”
says Di Donato. “That comes from that print background.”
A multidisciplinary designer: graphic artist and creative director turned interior designer
Di Donato was working independently before she and Nick joined forces with Liberty Entertainment Group at the very beginning of their ventures. When she first came on board Di Donato was tasked with creating all of the print media menus – “anything two-dimensional”. From there, it was a fluid transition into interiors as they started opening up their venues. “We tried to hire outside designers and architects, and what I really felt was the case was that there was a real disconnect between understanding what the customer had to feel and what the end result had to be as far as tying everything together,” says Di Donato.
“So, I think I was sort of pushed and it became more of a natural transition into just kind of taking the reins and saying: ‘no, I’m gonna create this space;’
I mean, I know what people want to feel like, so I am gonna execute it. I wanted to create a space where I could control or not even control but exude how I wanted someone to feel in that space from start to finish when they were dining.” Di Donato stresses the value of location, the Liberty Group brand is known for taking on very niche spaces in the city of architectural and cultural significance (think: Casa Loma). “That’s how we first create the location and then the space kind of evolves and morphs from that,” says Di Donato. “It’s then about how you’d like your customer to feel inside of the space as far as the materials, furnishings, and decor work together and how you’d like the food to marry. Then, it’s every little detail in between.”
Leading in a man’s world + with some advice
“It wasn’t easy,” says Di Donato of making moves in an industry typically dominated by men. “Starting off in a man’s world in the construction industry, as not only a woman, but a blonde, was tough.” She goes on to explain how hard it was at first. Not only was she a woman in a ‘man’s world,’ she was the boss’ wife. So, Di Donato immediately felt like she needed to put in the extra work to truly earn everyone’s respect, and “stripes,” as she put it. That meant learning the lingo, technical terms, and truly submerging herself into the trade to be able to talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk; but that didn’t come easily–especially because she wasn’t formally trained in interior design or engineering, so you could say she was self-taught through first-hand experience.
Di Donato chuckles while sharing a now-funny experience where she truly embarrassed herself–and how it was a huge learning moment for her. She often used to walk into worksites in heels, and inevitably she slipped and fell and, as you would expect, the crew laughed while she was dusting herself off. Di Donato says it was one of her most embarrassing experiences but she knew from that moment on she would earn their respect by walking-the-walk, and she did. After personally witnessing Di Donato on-site just last week as the teams worked tirelessly away to meet the tight deadlines to get Don Alfonso 1890 pulled together in time for some of their exclusive VIP previews ahead of their official opening tonight on July 6th. As Di Donato walked through and interacted with herteams, you can definitely see that she engenders confidence in her crew in the way they look up to her. There is mutual respect. It’s inspiring to see!
When we asked her what advice she’d share to her younger self, or other women striving to get into the industry, Di Donato responded with a smile and chuckle and said,
“buckle down and do as I did. Don’t let the chatter, or noise get to you and earn your stripes!”
Monumental moments at the helm of one of Canada’s most successful hospitality empires
Di Donato’s career journey has been filled with no shortage of accolades and monumental moments, as she and Nick gave Toronto foodies and partiers something to talk about throughout the years. The team is behind the forever iconic Phoenix nightclub (RIP) and the Phoenix Concert Theater, which is still going strong. Next, Club Max was part of Toronto’s sexy, Manhattan-esque foray into the underground nightclub world. In the years since joining Liberty Entertainment Group, Di Donato has lent her creative vision to the creation of a slew of award-winning restaurants, nightclubs, and entertainment venues both in Canada and south of the border.
When asked through which of her ventures she learned the most, Di Donato pauses and gives that one a bit of thought. “I would say the Castle Loma Project or the Casa Loma, the castle itself and BlueBlood restaurant and all of the Installations that we do,” says Di Donato. “I created events like the Legends of Horror [Casa Loma’s creepy and sprawling Halloween event]. That whole project has so many facets. Firstly, with the castle itself, as far as design goes – and BlueBlood included–
I was challenged with the fact that everything that was by design had to be removable. I had to create what appeared to be permanent.”
Managing a successful marriage/relationship
Inevitably, working so closely with one’s spouse can be an intricate dance. But somehow, the Di Donatos make it work – even if they do butt heads at times. “I guess we sort of respect one another’s territory,” says Di Donato. “So you know, if I have conflict with Nick on decisions that are business-oriented or, you know, more directional, then I take a backseat and when it comes to design and we butt heads I feel like Nick will usually give me the reins. This comes from the fact that he respects my sense of design and it’s been earned. It’s been earned on both sides.” While the Di Donatos may butt heads at work, but they don’t at home, says Nadia. “We never argue about personal things because we really don’t have anything on the personal front that we really care to argue about,” she says. “But when it comes to work, yeah, we are very, very passionate about stuff, and we do argue. Sure, we eventually figure it out, but I’d say most of our arguments are work-related.” Clearly, it’s working. The pair has been together for nearly 40-years.
Nadia’s passion for fashion begins at birth…
Di Donato undoubtedly has an eye for fashion that goes hand-in-hand with her talents as a designer. “With all the fashion out there, there’s so many different looks and styles and so on and so forth,” says Di Donato. “But you’ve got to pick the right kind of grouping in that right? That’s what will create the best look for that particular situation or event.” She goes on to admit she’s definitely less passionate about fashion per se, and more into style, and how things are pulled together cohesively. This is why, after trying to follow in her family’s footsteps in fashion manufacturing and design, after starting off at Ryerson in a fashion program, she quickly realized her passion lies with graphic design and pivoted to do just that.
Her inspiration: the world
Donato has been to pretty much every continent, from most of Asia, and Europe, to some of Africa, central and south America. “My biggest resources or my biggest inspiration comes from travel,” she says. “I’ve traveled all over the world and even if I don’t take something that I’ve sort of absorbed and regurgitated immediately, I will bank it and in some way or another it will manifest itself in some aspect of any venue. That’s sort of been my biggest source of wealth or inspiration in everything.” Much of her inspiration behind the celebrated Don Alfonso came from travel. When they collaborated with father/son team Alfonso and Ernesto Iaccarino–Alfonso is a three-star Michelin chef and Ernesto is a two Michelin Star chef–the Di Donatos traveled the world in preparation. “I kind of referred to it as the Michelin Mission,” she says with a reflective smile. “We traveled the world because we were set on bringing a Michelin level restaurant to Toronto.”She also cites art as a major source of inspiration. Where she doesn’t draw inspiration is from other restaurants. She says bluntly: “I’m gonna be honest, the least of my inspiration comes directly from other restaurants.” she says bluntly.
Next up, her most recent project: here’s a first look inside the newly relocated, Don Alfonso 1890
The Toronto restaurant world is buzzing about Liberty Group’s latest announcement. Their raved about restaurant that was formerly taking up a pop-up space inside Casa Loma, has now launched inside the 38th floor of the iconic Westin Harbour Castle hotel on the waterfront. Here, a meal will come with a stunning wrap-around 360-degree panoramic view as a backdrop to the restaurant. This view will inevitably become a see-and-be-seen spot to wine and dine. We got a first look at the space. It’s breathtaking and reflects the fact that Di Donato clearly has a meticulous eye for design, down to the smallest detail, with nothing overlooked.
From the displays on the bathroom doors, to the intricate automatic toilets, engraved patterns and uplighting in the columns, bar design, and even the robot arm 3D-printed rosette designs atop the dining room areas (that she designed by hand)… the restaurant never fails to uplift…
“I feel the Don Alfonso space is the new crown jewel of the hotel,”
she says. It may even be enough to bring back the buzz that surrounded the hotel in its glory days, especially after Michelin gets a taste at it. Time will tell.
We’re proud to present to you, our July cover, featuring Liberty Group’s Nadia Di Donato.
Credits
Producer, and Creative/Art Direction and words by: STEVEN BRANCO, interview as told to STEVEN BRANCO; Photography: NICK MERZETTI; Videography: SHAYNE GRAY; Hair & Makeup: MICHELLE LAUREN; A very special thank you to our location support team, including Liberty Group’s STACEY HAWKINS, and Don Alfonso 1890’s executive chef DANIELE CORONA and his kitchen team, as well as the general manager, EMANUELE DE DONNO. Words by ERIN DAVIS and STEVEN BRANCO, as told to and by BRANCO.
Originally published: July 6, 2022
