Canadian designer wins prestigious award for Don Alfonso 1890

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Just recently, Nadia Di Donato, the Liberty Entertainment Group’s (LEG) vice-president and creative director, and the name behind the company’s award-winning success in the hospitality industry, was up for yet another award to help celebrate her work.

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The famed Canadian designer was recently nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in the industry: The U.K.’s 12th annual International Hotel & Property Awards, hosted by design et al magazine for designer of the year, as well as for best design, restaurant (global) and best design restaurant, in the Americas.

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Quite simply, this is considered one of the industry’s most prestigious honours — and certainly one of the most coveted. And Di Donato won.

In a recent glittery awards ceremony held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London, England, Di Donato was awarded with best design restaurant — Americas and Caribbean — for her painstaking work on the company’s Michelin-starred property, Don Alfonso 1890 in Toronto, situated at the Westin Harbour Castle.

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This isn’t the first time Di Donato has been honoured by this event — previously, she and her work were nominated as best designer of the decade and best designer of the year, in addition to nominations and awards for the company’s properties including BlueBlood Steakhouse and Don Alfonso 1890. They were the only two Canadian restaurants recognized.

This latest award adds to her stellar list of accomplishments and accolades.
It should be noted these awards represent a global platform for leading designers and architects in the hospitality industry, as well as providing the perfect global stage to “recognize and reward creative and design excellence,” according to the awards company’s website.

Di Donato, who describes herself as “very artisan in this business, very grassroots, from conception to design,” was one of only 10 designers nominated, which made her nomination — and win — “that much more meaningful, and humbling, when you consider the other companies use very large design firms — and I’m basically a one-person army.”

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Di Donato has much to celebrate —  she was also the only Canadian nominated.

“As the only Canadian nominated, I am humbled to be recognized by such an esteemed media outlet, regarded as elite of the international design world,” said Di Donato in a recent email media release.

“I’m grateful to everyone around the world who voted; being acknowledged with such respected accolades truly underscores our goal to be influencers on the global design and hospitality stages.”

This award follows Di Donato’s recent Michelin star and Gambero Rosso and Top 50 Italy awards that “we are very proud of, and excited about the promise for our newest property, DaNico (which recently opened in Toronto) this week.”

We’ll see if more awards are on the horizon as both Di Donato and her husband Nick, president of LEG, say they are both looking forward with much anticipation to the upcoming Michelin awards. Those will be revealed in the coming week.

For more details, check out libertygroup.com.

Article content

Article content

Just recently, Nadia Di Donato, the Liberty Entertainment Group’s (LEG) vice-president and creative director, and the name behind the company’s award-winning success in the hospitality industry, was up for yet another award to help celebrate her work.

Article content

The famed Canadian designer was recently nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in the industry: The U.K.’s 12th annual International Hotel & Property Awards, hosted by design et al magazine for designer of the year, as well as for best design, restaurant (global) and best design restaurant, in the Americas.

Article content

Quite simply, this is considered one of the industry’s most prestigious honours — and certainly one of the most coveted. And Di Donato won.

In a recent glittery awards ceremony held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London, England, Di Donato was awarded with best design restaurant — Americas and Caribbean — for her painstaking work on the company’s Michelin-starred property, Don Alfonso 1890 in Toronto, situated at the Westin Harbour Castle.

Article content

Article content

This isn’t the first time Di Donato has been honoured by this event — previously, she and her work were nominated as best designer of the decade and best designer of the year, in addition to nominations and awards for the company’s properties including BlueBlood Steakhouse and Don Alfonso 1890. They were the only two Canadian restaurants recognized.

This latest award adds to her stellar list of accomplishments and accolades.
It should be noted these awards represent a global platform for leading designers and architects in the hospitality industry, as well as providing the perfect global stage to “recognize and reward creative and design excellence,” according to the awards company’s website.

Di Donato, who describes herself as “very artisan in this business, very grassroots, from conception to design,” was one of only 10 designers nominated, which made her nomination — and win — “that much more meaningful, and humbling, when you consider the other companies use very large design firms — and I’m basically a one-person army.”

Article content

Di Donato has much to celebrate —  she was also the only Canadian nominated.

“As the only Canadian nominated, I am humbled to be recognized by such an esteemed media outlet, regarded as elite of the international design world,” said Di Donato in a recent email media release.

“I’m grateful to everyone around the world who voted; being acknowledged with such respected accolades truly underscores our goal to be influencers on the global design and hospitality stages.”

This award follows Di Donato’s recent Michelin star and Gambero Rosso and Top 50 Italy awards that “we are very proud of, and excited about the promise for our newest property, DaNico (which recently opened in Toronto) this week.”

We’ll see if more awards are on the horizon as both Di Donato and her husband Nick, president of LEG, say they are both looking forward with much anticipation to the upcoming Michelin awards. Those will be revealed in the coming week.

For more details, check out libertygroup.com.

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