Rooted in Niagara, Paul DeCampo grew up with traditional food culture from both Italian and Slovenian agricultural backgrounds. An orientation toward understanding food, from farm to plate, has led him to work in industries as diverse as natural/organic foods, craft beer production, and teaching outdoor education. He is drawn to wine, as many are, because wine conveys so transparently the character of fruit, site, climate, history, culture, innovation, and the wildcard of vintage; all in a glass that you can enjoy with friends, family and food. After entering the wine business in 2000, DeCampo now represents Henry of Pelham Winery of Niagara to the hospitality trade in Toronto. As a volunteer, he works with Slow Food Toronto to increase access to good, clean, fair food, by supporting local, artisanal producers, and maintaining gastronomic traditions.

You’ve got $10 to buy lunch - where do you go?

I always get a good sandwich or plate of pasta at Oro Caffé (171 East Liberty Street) in Liberty Market. Also, it’s hard to beat Tacos El Asador (690  Bloor Street West).

The budget’s unlimited, someone else is paying and the choice is yours - where do you pick for dinner?

If I’ve been taking care of myself, and can stand to gain a pound or two, I’d pick Splendido (88 Harbord Avenue). The service and ambiance are as glam as it gets for me, and the intensity and complexity of food are always exhilarating. I must admit that it feels a little rich for my constitution, though, and I pay for it afterwards. To balance gastronomic delight with health, I’d visit Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar (9 Church Street), and have whatever Tobey Nemeth is most excited about. With the small dishes, I can pace myself!

Tell us some of the food shops you frequent when buying groceries to cook for yourself.

I’m a long time Karma Food Co-op member (793 Palmerston Avenue), and love their range of sustainably grown produce throughout the year. Through our growing season, I get to the farmers’ markets (Brick Works, Dufferin Grove, Riverdale, Withrow Park, St. Lawrence) whenever I can.

When ordering in for a quiet night at home, what’s your favourite place for take-out or delivery?

We love the Jamaican vibe of our St. Clair West neighbourhood, and Gerry’s Fast Food (724 St. Clair Avenue West) does great home-cooked food. The Oxtail Stew, Curried Goat, and Rasta Pasta [potato/channa] are all house favourites.

Oh, no, relatives are coming to Toronto from out of town - where do you take them?

When our relatives come to town, we love to cook at home, in order to best share the bounty of Toronto’s food culture with them. Then we’ll take them out for gelati at La Paloma (1357 St. Clair Avenue West).

Your favourite place to grab a couple of drinks and hang out where everybody knows your name?

To connect with Toronto’s food community, I head to the Industry Night at Oysterboy (872 Queen Street West) on Mondays. Last time I was there, Adam was directing traffic with his shucking knife, and Michael Stadtlander was prominent among the professionals in the room.

What’s coming up?

Slow Food Toronto and Evergreen are collaborating on Picnic at the Brick Works on Sept. 16th. 30 Chefs and producers will be offering regional/seasonal treats, along with VQA wines and local micro-brews. You can get more information at either website.