Our Team
Sonam Benedetti | Chef
Sonam has spent more than 19 years in the kitchen, beginning his culinary career at just 15 years old. He was inspired by his grandmother and the Sunday pasta sauces they made together. Sonam went on to complete three years of culinary school in Trieste before working throughout Italy, including in the Michelin-starred kitchens of Aquila Nigra in Mantova and Laite in Sappada.
Specializing in Italian cuisine, pasta, risotto and slow-cooked meats, Sonam approaches every plate with a focus on quality, execution and fresh ingredients never takes shortcuts.
His goal is simple: to make food that creates emotion. A dish might remind you of something your family once made or take you back to a meal you enjoyed on a trip to Italy.
At NORD, that philosophy comes through in every dish, with Chef Sonams’ personal favourite being the Penne Bolognese, a dish inspired by his grandmother’s pride and joy.
When he’s not in the kitchen: Chef Sonam enjoys playing soccer, travelling, and probably thinking about his next plate of risotto.
Laddi Pal | Chef
Laddi has been working in kitchens and hospitality since 2017. After attending chef school, he began building his career in Canadian restaurants, eventually moving into Italian cuisine and working his way up to sous chef. He later spent four and a half years as an Executive Chef at an Italian banquet hall, where he gained extensive experience cooking for large events and developing the consistency and organization that still shape the way he works today.
Laddi loves cooking pasta, grilled dishes, hearty comfort food and Italian desserts. For him, good food starts with fresh ingredients, proper preparation and consistency. His standard is simple: if he wouldn’t be proud to eat it himself or serve it to his family, he wouldn’t serve it to a guest.
What keeps him motivated is seeing people genuinely enjoy something he has made. He believes quality food doesn’t need to be overly complicated it just needs to be fresh, well prepared and made with care.
For Laddi, NORD is especially meaningful because owning a café or restaurant had been a dream of his for years. As Chef and Co-Owner, he now gets to build that dream every day, with the NORD Power Bowl being one of his personal favourites.
When he’s not in the kitchen: Chef Laddi enjoys spending time with family, relaxing, and getting a well-earned break from cooking.