Born: I grew up on a farm in Broad Meadows, VIC
History: I began my career as an apprentice in Melbourne’s iconic Café Cucina on Chapel Street. From Café Cucina I was approached by Simon Humble to work alongside him as his apprentice, at the then sister-restaurant Il Bácaro, in Melbourne’s CBD.
At Il Bácaro, I took my love and knowledge of fine Italian food towards a new challenge, joining one of the best restaurants in town at the time, French fine-dining room Est Est Est in South Melbourne.
A change in cuisine meant unexplored territory for me and I faced a whole new world of possibilities ahead. Under the watchful eye of French chef Donovan Cooke, I developed true passion for French cuisine.
After completing my apprenticeship at Est Est Est, I was inspired to travel and to see the authenticity and heritage of the cuisines I had learnt about in Melbourne.
My first stop: Le Marche in Italy. Here, reverting back to my Italian ways, I spent two years as a chef, one year in each of the region’s two best restaurants; Maddonina del Pescatore and Symposium Quarto Stagione.
From my two years in Italy, I then moved on to the south of France to South Leon. Here, I spent another two consecutive years as a chef, first at Le Pyramide and then at Michele Trois Gras.
After four invaluable years abroad, I knew my calling. My travels had shown me many new things about ingredients, technology and techniques in Italian, French and Mediterranean cuisine, but the time away drew me right back to Melbourne, where it all began.
I returned to Il Bácaro in 2002 and took on the role of head chef. Proudly I achieved a One-hat award in the coveted Age Good Food Guide awards. Today, I spend my time perfecting and developing my art as the head chef and partner to Melbourne’s One-hat Italian bistro Sarti.
Have you always wanted to be a Chef?
As a child, my immediate environment was rich in authentic Italian culture, inherent with a love for food. My father would take me on various hunting adventures, talking to me along the way about everything he knew on different types of local, fresh produce, be it growing, running or swimming. Regular weekend road trips with my dad lead us through Melbourne’s beautiful rural landscape, outer country Victoria and even to New South Wales to find any wild produce we could, to bring back home and cook.
We would return home with herbs, vegetables, rabbits and ducks, wild pigs, wild goats, or even fresh fish. Food has always been important to me and my family – I really can’t imagine doing anything else!