top of page

Alessandro Pavoni

Alessandro Pavoni 2-min.jpg

Alessandro Pavoni

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 chicken 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 in 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 awarded in 2012.

Contemporary flavours, techniques, and textures are the focus of 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 the present day. 

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 consciously decided to develop young talent in their business operations. In 2014, he and Bill, together with the Ormeggio Head Chef Victor Moya, opened 'Chiosco by Ormeggio', a casual seaside Italian trattoria in Mosman. 

 

​In December 2020, Alessandro opened in the striking Crown Sydney complex at Barangaroo, an ambitious and glamorous traditional Italian fine-dining restaurant and bar, a'Mare. It is a high-profile, glamorous, 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: the opening of Postino Osteria, a classic neighbourhood osteria in Summer Hill, which achieved one-hat status within weeks of opening, and Cibaria Manly and 55 North, located on Manly's beachside.

​ 

Alessandro lives on the Northern Beaches with his Australian wife, Anna, 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.

Restaurants by Alessandro

bottom of page