Our Food Truck Journey

More than Just Food on Wheels

Welcome to Smoke'n Forno, where our passion for Italian cuisine drives us to bring you the best street food experience. We are more than just a food truck; we are a mobile kitchen with a mission to serve you the most delectable Italian dishes in Ottawa, Ontario. Our journey started with a simple idea – to offer a taste of Italy on wheels. Today, we continue to delight food lovers with our authentic flavours and exceptional service.

The Chefs

Justin

Justin was born and raised in the Ottawa Valley growing up on a beef cattle operation. He was introduced to cooking at a young age by his grandmother, who taught him everything she knew from being a home economics teacher.

After working in the restaurant and hospitality industry for 15 years, he received his Red Seal Certificate in 2023.

Before completing his Red Seal, Justin graduated from Bishop University with a degree in Economics and Business.

As a local beef producer, it is important to Justin and Smoke’n Forno to support local businesses to offer great locally-made food for our customers.

Ever since he was a young boy, he has dreamt of opening his own food truck. From the moment he met Giuseppe and Lina, he knew they would be great business partners. Justin is very glad that Giuseppe and Lina have come together to make this dream come true and provide the Ottawa area with their twist on Italian cuisine.

Giuseppe

Giuseppe was born in Canada in a very traditional Italian family, which means food was a great part of his upbringing. His nonna (grandma) was a chef, and over 50 years of her life were spent creating recipes, cooking meals, and ensuring everyone enjoyed the Italian food heritage. His father, one of 8 siblings, became a self-taught cook for his family, specializing in his hometown's signature dish, the Pampanella.

Growing up between his parents' sides of the family, his inspiration to become a chef was paired with actual hands-on application. After 10 years of professionally applying everything he loved and learned about food; he received his Red Seal certificate in 2007. Now with almost 28 years of experience, it was time for him to create his legacy. A food truck that gives his city a taste of his Italian side. Partnering with Justin and Lina creates a fusion between his Italian, Justin’s Canadian, and Lina’s Middle Eastern cultures, which guarantees that no matter where you come from, you will love our food.

Lina

Lina is Egyptian-Palestinian. She grew up in Cairo where, as much as she was exposed to the Egyptian sides of food and cooking, her mom made sure that she got to experience and learn about her Palestinian food heritage, and that’s where she believes the magic of tastes happens. She learned how to cook authentic Palestinian and Egyptian foods since she grew tall enough to stand in front of the stove. Her mom and her teta (grandma) were her mentors, and they both contributed greatly to shaping her desire to learn more about food every day.

When Lina moved to Canada, she got the chance to start her career in restaurants and hospitality. This exposure to the Western culture allowed her to put a Western spin on any Middle Eastern dish she cooked, and vice versa. When she met Giuseppe and Justin, there was an instant connection, for many reasons, the most important of which was their love for food. With their different cultural backgrounds, each adds a bit to the other. Getting to be partners in this food truck is an amazing way to show that, no matter what your ethnicity is, the love for food is universal. It’s her way to add a little bit of Italian-Canadian to her Egyptian-Palestinian.