Outsiders to the city often associate Sudbury with the Big Nickel, the now shrinking smokestack and maybe porchetta.
Two videographers have made it their mission to solve the history and mystery of how porchetta became unique to Sudbury with their upcoming film party for “Porchetta di Sudbury”.
Videographers Brandon Gray and Jonathan Danyliw are the sleuths behind the 26-minute documentary.
Danyliw from Sudbury and Gray from Parry Sound both have ties to the traditional Italian boneless pork roast, though those ties are different for each man.
“I grew up here,” Danyliw said. “I only did porchetta bingo a handful of times but always remember my dad bringing it home from the butcher and no one makes it like we do here in Sudbury.”
Gray, on the other hand, has learned about the city’s love affair with the Italian rolled pork roast in recent years since moving here having a keen interest in producing food based features.
“Growing up in Parry Sound, I didn’t really see Italian culture there so I didn’t know of porchetta,” he said. “When I moved here, it was wonderful to see how it was so beloved and popular here at restaurants and in delis.”
But what is porchetta, you might be asking? Most people in Sudbury are familiar with the type of roast, but for those outside that tent, the dish involves deboning a pig carcass and wrapping the meat (loin or shoulder frequently) in the fat and skin, tying it up into a somewhat cylindrical shape and roasting it. The result is a fragrant (from the mix of garlic, rosemary and fennel, the traditional spices; a Sudbury version substitutes dill weed for fennel) and juicy roast with a crispy browned skin rich in flavour.
The film “Porchetta di Sudbury” traces the roots of Sudbury porchetta culture from Italy. It aims to answer many questions that Sudburians have about the unique dish and even looks at the origins and money raised by porchetta bingo.
Mapping for the feature began in September 2024 with some writing, research and making connections within the Italian community here.
“By January 2025 we were shooting the documentary and interviewing key figures about their involvement,” Danyliw said.
The two screenings this week — coupled with a porchetta eating party — are less than a week away and it’s already getting harder to scoop up tickets.
“We wanted to have a premiere from the beginning and eating porchetta while doing it seemed like a very natural event,” Gray said.
The meat served will be prepared by three Sudbury shops renowned for their porchetta: Regency Bakery, D&A Meats and Tarini Brothers Meat Market.
Both admit the short documentary will live on the internet, but the experience has been great and it is getting lots of traction with a teaser posted a few weeks ago.
“We’ve met so many great people along the journey and the event will be a great culminating celebration of that,” Gray said.
“The warmth of this Italian community has been heartwarming for us both,” Danyliw added.
The film plays Dec. 5-6 at Knox Hall in downtown Sudbury. Showtime is 7 p.m. both days with the porchetta reception to follow after.
To learn more about the film and event, or purchase tickets, check out Eventbrite.
Anastasia Rioux is a writer in Greater Sudbury. Let’s Eat! is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.