The shoreline has lost a legend. Executive Chef and owner of Café Allegre in Madison and Woodwinds Banquet Facility in Branford Chef Silvio Suppa passed away peacefully at his home on Nov. 21. The news was shared on Facebook and has generated an outpouring of support from family, friends, and followers alike.

The news of his passing was shared on the Café Allegre and Woodwinds Facebook pages. Chef Silvio was a successful business owner, author, and had created his own line of Italian sauces. According to the Facebook post, Chef Silvio will always be remembered for his extraordinary talent as a chef, and also for his warm and generous personality.

“Silvio came to America at age 20 and soon after began his 25 year partnership and culinary career as Chef of Del Monaco’s restaurant, along with his wife Vittoria; his brother-in-law, John Del Monaco, and sister-in-law Connie Fappiano and her husband Giuseppe,” the post read. “He worked alongside International, Award-winning Chefs from Naples and Milan. His mother-in-law, Stella Del Monaco, was also an influential teacher for Silvio. Del Monaco’s, the legendary eatery, dominated New Haven, Connecticut’s famed Wooster Street from 1972 to 1997. With celebrities, politicians and people from NY flocking there for his signature Mediterranean dishes, Chef Silvio became a celebrity in his own right! Appearing on many local TV shows throughout CT, Silvio was a sought-after Chef and even mentor to many budding cooks and ‘foodies’ who would seek out his advice which he readily shared with them.”

Joyce Logan who worked with Chef Silvio in a public relations capacity for more than 10 years, said he was a passionate and intelligent man who loved to share his knowledge of food and culture with others.

“He was an extraordinary man and when you sat with Silvio for more than five minutes, the richness of his culture would start pouring out of him and it made me feel like I want to go live in Italy, I want to the experiences that he had,” she said. “He was so smart about common sense and about people and about food. I learned so much about practical ways of eating, of cooking, of preparing food.”

Thinking about all of the lessons Chef Silvio shared, Logan said the importance of family has stuck with her.

“He taught me the importance of being with family when you are breaking bread,” she said. “When he was growing up, no matter where they were, they had to come together for that one meal a day and talk about what went on during the day. Silvio was always concerned that in this day and age that would be a lost art.”

According to the post, visiting hours are Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Iovanne Funeral Home, Inc. 11 Wooster Place, New Haven. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Anthony Church Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Entombment will follow in All Saints Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to No Kid Hungry/Share Our Strength:www.secure.nokidhungry.org/Donate. Share a memory and sign Chef Silvio’s guest book online at www.iovanne.com.