ALESSANDRO PAVONI
CHEF RESTAURATEUR
ABOUT
ABOUT
Brescian-born chef Alessandro Pavoni blasted into Sydney's dining scene in 2009 with his first restaurant venture, the waterside fine-dining Italian gem Ormeggio at the Spit.
He brings with him a passion for food that developed at the age of 10 when he sampled a three kilogram stuffed hen his grandmother cooked. In a heroic feat, he managed to eat it all by himself. His mouth still waters when he thinks of it and experiences such as these helped inspire him to undertake training at the Art, Science and Technological Centre of Food in Brescia and the Caterina de Medici Hospitality School.
Alessandro began his career in Brescia, in Italy’s north, working at Carlo Magno with the famous Iginio Massari and Giuseppe Maffioli. After working in various Michelin starred venues such as La Rotonde in France and the two Michelin-starred Villa Fiordaliso on Lake Garda, Alessandro broadened his culinary horizons working in Bermuda at the famous Restaurant Lido before moving to Sydney permanently in 2003. He assumed the role of Executive Chef at Park Hyatt 2005, managing a team of over 30 chefs before finally realising his dream of opening his own restaurant at the Spit, Mosman in 2009.
Ormeggio at the Spit was a most welcome addition to the North Shore dining scene and was quickly recognised as one of Sydney’s premier waterside dining destinations. It was awarded a coveted Chef Hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide after only 9 months, had two Glasses awarded by Gourmet Traveller to its unique wine list, and was listed immediately in Gourmet Traveller’s Top 100 and The Australian’s Top 50 Australian restaurants. It maintains these accolades today with the addition of a second Chef Hat, which was awarded in 2012.
Contemporary flavours, techniques and textures are the focus at Ormeggio, with a move to dedicate the restaurant to seafood in 2020. Crave International Food Festival 2012 noted that Alessandro is “one of the few Australian chefs exploring the cutting-edge of contemporary Italian cuisine.” He maintains this reputation to present day.
“The look and feel of Ormeggio is naturally nautical and coastal – with great quality produce and contemporary Italian flavours. We are constantly searching for quality and uniqueness. Given our striking location and dockside setting at D’Albora Marina, and the influence taken from my lakes region of Northern Italy, completely relaunched our concept in 2020 as an exclusively seafood restaurant. Our aim is to provide a contemporary Italian dining experience in an exclusive Australian setting.”
As well as this passion for modern and unique cuisine, Alessandro is passionate about safeguarding Italian culinary culture and his Italian traditions and loves to share his knowledge and experiences with his guests. “I love to embrace traditional recipes that have been handed down through the families of my region, and in particular my grandmother, who was a tremendous cook.”
In 2015 “A Lombardian Cookbook” was released, showcasing the traditional recipes and flavours of Alessandro’s Italian home.
Alessandro cares deeply about helping and educating others and sees this as a central part of his role of Chef and Restaurateur. He regularly delivers cooking classes around Sydney, and hosts annual regional boutique gourmet tours of Italy. In 2021 Restaurant and Catering Association awarded him the NSW Restaurateur of the Year jointly with his wife Anna.
In 2013 he joined forces with Bill Drakopoulos, the respected Sydney restaurateur of the Sydney Restaurant Group. Bill and Alessandro made a conscious decision to develop young talent in their business operations. In 2014 he and Bill, together with the Ormeggio Head Chef Victor Moya and Pastry Chef Laura Ballester, opened ‘Ormeggio Bakery’ in Mosman. Victor, Bill and Alessandro followed this with ‘Chiosco by Ormeggio’, a casual seaside Italian trattoria in Mosman. Alessandro and Bill also joined forces with then Ormeggio Sous-Chef, Alex Keene, to open ‘Via Alta’, an Italian trattoria in Willoughby. Sotto Sopra opened as a relaxed yet sophisticated woodfired trattoria in 2017. Located in Newport on Sydney’s northern beaches, it brought on board Chiosco’s Head Chef, Mattia Rossi. When he returned to Italy for family they offered the opportunity to another young industry colleague Doug Fraser. This development and nurturing of young talent and enthusiasm, together with offering opportunity to the ‘next generation’ is something that Alessandro believes very strongly in.
In December 2020 Alessandro opened in the striking Crown Sydney complex at Barangaroo, an ambitious and glamourous traditional Italian fine dining restaurant and bar, a’Mare. It is a high profile, glamourous and unique restaurant. a’Mare is all about bringing back the art of tableside service and true hospitality.
2024 brings two new venues for Alessandro with the opening of Postino Osteria, a classic neighbourhood osteria in Summer Hill, which achieved one hat status within weeks of opening; followed by Cibaria Manly, located on Manly’s beachside.
He is an Ambassador for Heart Research Australia, http://www.heartresearch.com.au/our- ambassadors.html, whose work is, as he says, ‘close to his heart’.
Alessandro lives on the northern beaches with his Australian wife, Anna and his daughter, Jada, and son Luca. In his spare time he can be found stand up paddle boarding on one of the many local beaches, golfing, training in jiujitsu or cooking up a storm in his backyard for friends and family.
