Il Mulino Nuovo

Oscar Valverde is most comfortable at work, and it’s no wonder. The owner of the upscale Il Mulino Restaurant has been in the dining industry since 1979. Tucked into the north side of the Eglinton West strip in Forest Hill, the classic Italian hot spot is his home away from home.

After emigrating from Peru to Montreal to Chicago, Oscar landed in Toronto at age 18 and found work as a busboy at Bangkok Garden. Oscar quickly rose through the restaurant ranks. “Three months after being hired, I became waiter, and six months later, I was supervisor. A year after that, I was manager,” he recalls of his start in the biz.

Next came a string of fine dining stints over Toronto — Centro’s, Splendido, Aqua, Mistura and Sotto Sotto — where he worked alongside top chefs and restaurateurs such as Massimo Capra and Franco Prevedello.

The lessons he learned through each experience were invaluable when he bought Il Mulino in 2008 after falling for the high arched ceilings, fantastic food and upscale vibe. “Working alongside restaurant icons taught me the golden rule of fine dining,” Oscar says. And what is that? “The customer is king. Always.”