Known as Melbourne’s Italian emperor, Guy Grossi is an award-winning Italian-Australian chef, devoted restauranter, playful media personality, and author passionate about sharing his love of tradition, family, and cooking. His restaurants in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth are perpetually attracting praise but the thing that gives him the most satisfaction is feeding a hungry diner.
He was in Perth this past week for his Plateful Perth dinner at Garum, so we sat down with him for a conversation about his passions, Italian food, and Garum.
Where satisfaction and dining collide
“The satisfied guest is what gives you that thrill and buzz. Knowing that all of your guests have come through and loved the food and experience is incredibly satisfying,” Grossi said.
“I want them to walk away feeling better than they did when they first walked in. I want them to remember who they were with and the great time they had. If you can achieve that as a chef or a restaurateur, you’ve succeeded.”
“What I love about my job is the cooking, getting to talk to the producers, and building those relationships. It’s all about working with like-minded people who are keen to deliver that experience. It’s all about creating great memories for people.”
After recently visiting the culinary hotspots of Rome and Florence on one of his annual Italian escapades, Grossi said while the flashy places are brilliant, the best meals are found in the small trattorias. Places where the wine is phenomenal and the mama and papa are using local and seasonal produce to cook what they’d make for their own families.
When you think of it that way, it’s a bit like how his culinary career began. With a mother from Verona and a father from Puglia, his Italian heritage was the catalyst for it all.
“Growing up in the suburbs of Melbourne, the kitchen was the nucleus of the household. A place to chat and eat. I started helping Mum with cooking and went to work with Dad who worked as a cook very early on,” Grossi said.
“It’s our whole message, our whole product. We aren’t just selling Italian food and wine, we are selling a cultural statement. Kicking the can down the road.”
Garum: an ancient Roman fish sauce
That was the inspiration for Garum — his Italian restaurant collaboration with The Westin — situated in the historic Hibernian Hall in Perth’s east end.
“The main thing about Garum is that it plays to an authentic Roman osteria. The room speaks to you with a contemporary yet timeless fit-out that nods to Italy. While the menu accentuates classic techniques alongside modern classics.”
He said the experience of dining at Garum is so much more than the food. The service is unparalleled, the atmosphere is outstanding, and the fare is as authentic as it gets.
When it comes to his favourite item on the menu, Grossi said it has to be Papa’s Agnello — Arkady lamb shoulder, parmigiano, and breadcrumbs — because his father taught him how to cook it when he was young.
“All of the pasta section reminds me of being in Rome — one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. I love it and can’t get enough. The first thing I order is always a cacio e pepe or carbonara.”
Simplicity is the key to good food
When asked, Grossi describes himself as someone who does a lot of research to find the products he wants to use. He said you need to start with something fantastic to get something great on the plate. You can over complicate something, but sometimes simple is best.
“I think sometimes when you’re a younger chef, you think about what you can add to make it better. But it’s actually what you can take away.”
“People think that simple is easy, but keeping it simple and making it good is quite hard. You need to have those one to three ingredients making it shine. Simple is not an excuse for lazy cooking.”
According to Grossi, that’s the trick to good food.
“Good food is about starting with great primary produce that’s been cared for. Working with suppliers that have great animal husbandry and grow their produce in the most beautiful way they can.”
“When it gets to the kitchen bench, it’s about having respect for the produce. It’s been grown with passion, so you must respect every part of the animal and vegetable. You need to make sure that the same level of care goes into the cooking as what went into the growing.”
Authenticity is everything
Authenticity is also crucial. Grossi explained it’s central to everything he does.
“You can explore a more creative dish and still have authenticity. It needs to have a postcode that says “I’m Italian,” it can’t just be ingredients that are thrown together on the plate.”
While Grossi has opened award-winning restaurants, written books, and made television appearances, he doesn’t consider any of those to be his biggest achievement.
“It’s unmeasurable the great things I’ve been able to do. I’ve been so lucky to do amazing events in the US, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan, but I think the greatest thing is cooking for guests day to day. They keep you alive, they keep you going, you can never lose sight of them. My greatest achievement is having them continue to come back to our doors.”
Watch the full conversation here:
