Born:
Cagliari, Sardegna, Italy.
History:
My journey in hospitality began at 14, when my brother and I opened a small a la carte and catering business in Sardinia. I started with prep and dish washing and quickly fell in love with the energy of the kitchen.
We later opened a 10-table gastronomia where we served classic home-style cooking with iconic dishes such as lasagne, melanzane alla parmigiana, roast chicken and rosemary confit potatoes, meals our family grew up eating. That little shop gave me my first understanding of food as an expression of heritage and care.
At 20, I moved to Kent, England to be with my sister and mother. I began working in a breakfast and lunch café, where I met a Chef who had trained at Pied à Terre, a two Michelin-starred restaurant in London.
That encounter sparked my obsession with fine dining. I joined Thackeray’s in Kent (one Michelin star), while continuing breakfast shifts - often working double days. After two years, I moved to London to join Le Gavroche (two Michelin stars), a cornerstone of classical French cuisine.
In 2019, I moved to Brisbane. Since then, I’ve worked at Il Centro, Tocco Italiano, Vine Restaurant, Osteria Epoca, Paella y Pa’mi and Maya Mexican - holding Head Chef roles at several.
I joined Como Restaurant in 2023 and became Head Chef in 2024.
Have you always wanted to be a Chef?
As a teenager, I wanted to join the Italian Navy and sail aboard the Amerigo Vespucci. That dream faded as my love for food grew, but the kitchen gives me the same sense of discipline and structure. In some ways, I feel like I’m still in the navy just with knives and a pass instead of a compass and sail.
How would you define your style?
Relaxed yet refined - the same way the vision for Como was designed by co-owners Enzo Esposito, Sandra Esposito, Mikella Esposito and Laurence Santini. My food is elevated but classic. It is rooted in family tradition and memory, not trends. I cook with intention and restraint. My inspiration comes from dishes I grew up with, reimagined through the discipline of fine dining.
What is your feature flavour these days?
Memory. The flavours of my childhood - what my mother made on Sundays, or what my grandmother prepared when we visited. That nostalgia drives every dish.
Obsessive-compulsive about?
My knives and the bell at the pass. Do not touch either. I know it’s a classic Head Chef trait, but for me, the kitchen needs rhythm and control.
Your greatest culinary influence:
My grandmother and my mother. They taught me how to cook with heart and memory.
What do you love about this business?
Hospitality allows us to serve more than food. It gives people emotion, memory and a sense of belonging. When I see a guest experience something familiar in one of my dishes - that’s the best part of this job.
An ingredient you can’t live without?
Tomato.
Most ‘eyebrow-raising’ menu item?
Scampi crudo. In Italian cuisine, cheese and seafood is almost never paired but this dish proves it can work. Raw scampi with blue scampi caviar, silky stracciatella, tomato and rocket - it surprises people in the best way.
Signature dish:
Malloreddus alla Campidanese. This dish is part of my family’s history - a recipe that has been handed down through at least three generations. It is deeply Sardinian and something I feel proud to put on the table every single time.
What can diners expect when they eat at your restaurant and what makes the experience special?
At Como, the experience is relaxed yet elevated. We serve food that is familiar but thoughtful, grounded in memory but expressed with precision. The service is generous, never stiff. We want people to feel at home while still knowing they’re somewhere special.
That was the vision that co-owners Enzo, Sandra, Mikella Esposito and Laurence Santini set out to create. Our food reflects that spirit - traditional flavours, executed with clarity and respect. It is a place where guests come for connection as much as they come for cuisine.
What is your go-to meal at home when you don’t feel like cooking?
I rarely cook at home. I prefer to stay active in and supportive of the industry. One of the things I admire most about Australia is the incredible diversity and authenticity of its food culture. Thanks to migration and deep community roots, there are cultural hot spots where you can find food that rivals its place of origin.
Tell us something no one knows about you?
I love being on the floor. Every now and then I sneak out to serve a tiramisu or check in with guests. Seeing their reactions reminds me why I do this.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
I want to be Executive Chef at Como, leading a group of restaurants built on consistency, tradition and a clear vision. I want to grow something that lasts.