Family remembers Hamilton businessman, Peter Mercanti, ahead of funeral

People across Hamilton are preparing for the funeral of a well-known and well-liked business leader, Peter Mercanti, who died June 18, 2026.

He was the founder of Carmen’s Banquet Centre and is widely praised for his generosity and dedication to the City of Hamilton.

Carmen’s Banquet Centre is a landmark on Hamilton Mountain, at the centre of a business group that includes hotels, restaurants and catering.

It started with a young man who immigrated from Italy after the second world war with his family.

For Peter Mercanti, his family says it was his way of making everyone feel like family.

“This was his home and he wanted his home to be bigger than he was,” says Joe Mercanti, Peter’s son.

His family says Mercanti’s secret to success was treating everyone else like family.

“He did everything in his power to make sure people could come together and we see it now with what Carmen’s is. This was more than just bricks and mortar to him. This is where people could gather, create favourite, enjoyable memories and he loved people,” says Joe.

“It wasn’t about the buildings, the money. At the end of the day it was about the family and he showed us so much love,” says Daniella Mercanti-Mulas, Peter’s daughter.

For the family, they say that’s his legacy.

“He was always there, he loved us deeply, he loved my mother, my kids, my brothers. The last few weeks all he would say is ‘I have a beautiful family,’” says Mercanti-Mulas.

READ MORE: Hamilton businessman and Carmen’s Group co-founder Peter Mercanti passes away

With news of his passing, they say that sense of family is coming full circle as former Carmen’s employees say Mercanti gave them the opportunity they needed.

“I can’t believe the impact from everyone. From people who say ‘I worked at Carmen’s’ and people who say ‘I got married at Carmen’s and I couldn’t afford to have these nice things on my wedding day there he had everything done for me,’” says Mercanti-Mulas.

“There’s people that have reached out to me and said ‘your father helped give me my first job, took a chance on me,’ and helped families come into the country when their countries were in war, similar to what’s happening now,” says Peter’s son, Joe.

Over the years, Mercanti made Carmen’s well known, bringing stars and celebrities like Sophia Loren, Sylvester Stallone and Al Pacino, and former U.S. Presidents like George Bush to Hamilton.

“Peter would take on anything. He was a risk taker,” says Sam Mercanti, Peter’s older brother

Sam says Peter loved people but at the same time he was no pushover. As immigrant kids selling newspapers and flowers in the streets of 1950s Hamilton.

“Sometimes when you come to Hamilton and you’re an immigrant you’re labelled with certain names. Peter wouldn’t put up with that. So his nickname was ‘One Punch Pete.’ He had an incredible arm for a little short guy and if somebody went up against a brother, one shot and they were out,” says Sam.

The family says Mercanti passed away at home last week following a period of heart trouble. He was 77.

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