Growing up in a traditional Italian family there was always an emphasis on food, packed with traditional flavours and techniques. Nonna was always in the kitchen and the smells and flavours would always intrigue me even from a very young age, although my passion at that age was more about eating and experiencing rather than cooking myself. As I went through my younger years, being a chef was not at the top of my list of ideal professions, I realised how hard the work was and the long hours required to be a Chef. But for me, I had an opportunity to step into a commercial kitchen at the age of 15 and work with a professional team. For me, it felt just right. I was able to learn quickly and gain the skills to run a section of that kitchen and other award-winning restaurants without the formal training of being a qualified chef. It was then I made my decision to become a restaurateur and chef one day.

My ultimate goal was to have my own restaurant at a young age. I worked very hard and very long hours to attain the skills required to have a business and run a professional kitchen. By the age of 23, I felt that I was ready to take the risk and open my first restaurant. Cucinetta opened in 2006 and has now been trading for 17 years.