With a discerning eye for design and uncompromising standards Michael Rubino is half of the dynamic and successful Rubino-restaurants duo, and the person responsible for the ‘front of the house’ and business sides of their restaurants. In addition to leading the creative team for the series together with Guy, and being involved in all aspects of the production as an Executive Producer, Michael is the sole Producer of Season III of made to order.

Michael graduated from Sir Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario with an Honours Degree in Business Administration. He briefly took his talents to the world of big business and finance, but it didn¹t take long for him to unleash his entrepreneurial spirit.

In 1987 he partnered with his brother, Guy, in their first restaurant venture, Gourmet Greens, and they jumped into the challenging and competitive industry. The Toronto café soon blossomed into a hugely
successful catering business. The brothers later turned their focus to fine dining and in 1997 opened the internationally acclaimed Zoom Caffe and Bar in Toronto¹s financial district, in a soaring space that once housed a bank. Zoom¹s mix of outstanding food and service in a dramatic space marked the indisputable arrival of the Rubino brothers on the fine dining scene, and its ultra-private private dining room soon became the city¹s most requested.

Michael and Guy¹s previous successes paled against the media and public frenzy that erupted with the opening of their next restaurant, rain, in 2001. rain has continued to garner international recognition and its design has received some of the most coveted international awards, including the Gold Key Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design, at the premier interior design competition for the hospitality industry the year it opened, (Restaurant Seating to 110 and Best of Show Award), and ranking in the IIDA¹s Decade of Design Awards as one of the top ten interior design projects from 1994-2004. By the time the brothers opened their most recent restaurant, Luce, in 2004, an adoring following of the ‘Rubino way’ were anxiously awaiting its arrival. Ame is expected to garner even more frenzy as it takes the best qualities of Rain and the partnership with Charles to offer a unique dining experience.

Always interested in developing new projects, Michael and Guy met with Food Network Canada in 2001 to discuss the possibility of a show hosted by them. When the network confirmed its interest in a television series that would take viewers on a guided tour of the inner workings of an acclaimed high-end restaurant, Michael and Guy partnered with Henry Less and embarked on yet another new venture. As a creator, host and Executive Producer of the series, Michael has been involved in all aspects of the series. He has handled and negotiated the international distribution of made to order,
placing it in over 150 countries.

Michael is well recognized as a master of hospitality with a charm and gift for making everyone feel welcome. He has an extensive knowledge of wine and enjoys continually learning more in that endless field, as well as exploring international cuisines, and has travelled to France, Spain, Italy, Chile, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan in the last few years. He has participated in industry panels, made guest appearances on television shows, and been a guest speaker at culinary and design showcases.