Massimo Mele
Massimo’s big break came on a whim wearing a shabby suit. He’d spotted an ad for a chef in the classifieds and figured he’d give it a crack. So he borrowed the ill-fitting outfit from a friend and flew to Melbourne where he met Chef Roberto Castellanni Donovan.
The acclaimed industry stalwart invited Massimo to work at Donovan’s, a dining institution on the sands of St. Kilda. Here Massimo’s fervor for food sprouted, as did his skills, which he eventually brought home to Tasmania.
He opened Mud Bar and Restaurant in the state’s northern city of Launceston, which soon won industry praise and earned Massimo recognition at the Lexus Young Chef of the Year Awards.
Hungry for more knowledge, Massimo took off around the world and spent time cooking on the Amalfi Coast and tending to his family’s tomato farm in the hills of Naples. Armed with more knowledge and enthusiasm, Massimo returned to run Hugo’s Group kitchens across Sydney then become Executive Chef at La Scala on Jersey.
There were regular appearances on television, awards, reviews and trips overseas to cook for dignitaries and divas. But the lure of the Isle and all her riches has been strong. So Massimo returned to host his own pop up dinners called Tutti a Tavola, and collaborate with local producers around Tasmania.
It’s a state that unassumingly serves up stocks of fat fish, delicately marbled beef, red dirt smudged spuds, vivid veggies, handpicked cherries and black truffles so stinky the hogs are dying to find them.
Massimo soon got his hands on the lot, hosting street feasts and guest appearances at specialty dinners – an extension of his business, Food by Massimo. He’s been named ambassador for the Audi Centre Hobart as well as representative of Electrolux Australia, Huon Salmon and Oz Harvest, a charity that provides food to vulnerable Australians.
Massimo now divides his time between southern Tasmania, with his family with partner Kristy and trying to perfect Maria’s gnocchi, and the shores of Sydney, where he’s oversees Salt Meat Cheese Sydney in the heart of Circular Quay.
It reflects Massimo’s maturity as a widely recognized chef, his relaxed approach to food and his journey from that kitchen in the northern suburbs.
Godere!
