Mother wants child's ICU visit investigated alongside tonsil surgery deaths at Hamilton hospital
An Ontario mother is sharing her story after she says her daughter almost died following a tonsillectomy at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
Ottawa's Vittorio Colaiacovo has only been making pizza for about a year, but his skills in the kitchen are already earning international recognition.
In March, Vittorio's Pizza House competed at the World Pizza Expo in Las Vegas and to Colaiacovo's surprise, he placed top 20. His white pizza with mozzarella, herb, and ricotta, finished with pecorino Romano and topped with spinach, Kalamata olives, red onions and truffle oil won praise from the judges in the non-traditional pan division.
"My friends and family have been eating it and say you have to sell it, but I mainly went to see where my pizza stands against people in the industry," he said. "So that was the main reason I went and to compete this year."
Colaiacovo's desire to compete was sparked in 2022 when he visited the annual expo and saw the level of talent. There, he attended pizza seminars, classes and networked with pizzeria owners from around the world. Ever since, he's been working on perfecting his recipe and ability to make the award-winning pie even in less than ideal circumstances.
"I had to make the dough in hotel room and I was really worried it wouldn't turn out the way I did it here," he said. Luckily, the pizza turned out exactly the same, though Colaiacovo said it helped that he brought all of his own ingredients to make the dough and the pizza.
Colaiacovo's passion for pizza pays homage to his Italian heritage. He says after a trip to Italy a few years ago, he realized how much he enjoys the simplicity of pizza and the way it brings people together.
"It's fun," he said. "It's just simple ingredients like flour, water, yeast and salt but it is just so cool that you can put these ingredients together and it becomes a totally different product."
The time spent in the kitchen making pizza really ramped up as a way to drum up businesses for his bed and breakfast. Century Bed and Breakfast in Ottawa's Sandy Hill neighbourhood was struggling during the pandemic, so Colaiacovo started making breakfast pizza for his guests.
Perfecting the recipes took a lot of trial and error.
"It took a long time actually," he said. "When I was learning how to make it, I was eating pizza pretty well every day for many months, so I did gain about 40 pounds."
For now, Vittorio's Pizza House is only open for business for a Saturday night pizza experience. The rest of the week, Colaiacovo is fully dedicated to his guests at his bed and breakfast.
But one day, Colaiacovo says he would consider opening a restaurant or a pizzeria on a more permanent and full-time basis.
"Maybe in the future. It's definitely something to think about," he said. "Right now I am just trying to keep up with the demand and keep it simple for a bit."
Colaiacovo hopes to go back to Las Vegas next year, and this time, he may consider entering new recipes.
"It was a bit overwhelming to see all these people in the industry and I’m just an outsider for now, but I’m going to keep practicing," he said.
An Ontario mother is sharing her story after she says her daughter almost died following a tonsillectomy at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
The Department of National Defence confirmed the Canadian Armed Forces is tracking the Russian fleet of warships that reached Cuba on Wednesday.
The former owners of a home on Vancouver's west side have continued living in it despite selling it for nearly $4 million last June. Last week, they won a court case that will prevent the new owners from evicting them for at least a little while longer.
The Liberal government says changes to the capital gains tax will only affect less than one per cent of Canadians and generate nearly $20 billion in new revenue. We asked an economist how accurate that is.
Consumers may have many reasons to feel tip fatigue. But who loses out when we decide to tip less, or not at all? CTVNews.ca spoke with a few industry experts to find out how tipping works and who actually receives the money.
A lake in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains is highlighted on a list outlining the most beautiful ones in the world.
An Ontario Provincial Police officer is in stable condition after being shot during a search for a man wanted for questioning in a recent homicide near Timmins, Ont.
The Ottawa Police Service Hate and Bias Crime Unit is investigating after home security footage posted online sparked strong reaction from the community.
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas failed in her challenge against rules that stop her from competing in elite women's races because judges ruled she did not have standing to bring the case.
Peggy's Cove, N.S., is one of the most famous locations in the Maritimes. Recent visitors were treated to more than just the iconic landmark.
Hundreds of fans lined up to meet the Trailer Park Boys in Dartmouth, N.S., Tuesday, as Ricky, Bubbles and Julian promoted their new brand of potato chips.
Car break-ins plague Canadians across the country, but instead of worrying about theft, a northern Ontario woman is cleaning up a big mess that she says will not be covered by insurance after a black bear broke into her Honda Civic and took a nap.
Members of a Hutterite colony in southern Alberta have potentially built the world's tallest structure made of Popsicle sticks.
A dog who spent the first three-and-a-half years of his life suffering and almost a year at a shelter has found his forever home, according to the BC SPCA.
In most families, ringing in a 100th birthday is a massive milestone. Minni Pelman’s family certainly thinks so – as they celebrate her 108th birthday in the park outside her building.
Showing off the latest purchase in his Eaton's collection, Corey Quintaine joked he is rebuilding the former flagship store that used to sit at 320 Portage Avenue one Facebook Marketplace purchase at a time.
After learning about food security at school, 11-year-old Violette Ferguson wants fresh eggs and to change the rules around chickens in the city.
An Ontario powerlifter caught a mild cold last year. Six days later, he was fighting for his life in the ICU.