SHARING & caring
Eat & Drink Eat & Drink
By Andrea Louise Thomas Photos Gary Sissons
M
attia Di Febbo, head chef and owner of Mornington restaurant Assaggini, comes from a spectacular region of Italy called Abruzzo (east of Rome) that runs from the Apennine Mountains to the Adriatic Sea. Luckily for him, this made for a bounty of culinary choices at mealtimes; everything one could hope for was fresh and available in season. From the earliest age, Mattia was attracted to the kitchen to cook with his mother and grandmother, learning traditional, generational Italian dishes. He grew up tasting, testing, making and cooking. There was never any doubt that he would be a chef. He already had a perfect foundation. At 14 he started a five-year course in cooking and hospitality, learning all aspects of working in restaurants. From 16, he specialised in becoming a chef. Throughout his schooling Mattia had opportunities to work in many kitchens, not just in Italy, but in other European countries too. He learned a wide variety of cuisines and cooking methods.
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April 2021
E ssence | 59
PENINSULA