By Leigh O’Connor.
Describing his style as a non-stubborn Italian open to unusual combinations, Orzo Head Chef Fabrizio Faitella brings the art of making perfect pasta dough to this Chef-hatted Gold Coast dining destination.
Life is about exploring pasta-bilities at Orzo, on Oracle Boulevard in Broadbeach. Sister venue to Social Eating House & Bar, Orzo oozes sophistication from indoor and outdoor dining, ideal for soaking up the GC lifestyle at blond wood table settings, while checking out the action from an open kitchen.
Born in Roma, Italy, Fabrizio began travelling Europe at the tender age of 18 to learn about different cuisines – starting in Spain he worked his way through very busy kitchens before finding himself in London at a well-known Cipriani restaurant in Mayfair, where he discovered a completely different work ethic with more structure and organisation.
Returning to Rome, Fabrizio began working at Michelin-starred restaurant Glass Hostaria with Chef Cristina Bowerman, who he credits with teaching him the art of pasta making, now showcased on the Orzo menu.
Arriving Down Under at the age of 25, Fabrizio was in search of new challenges and discovery – a stint at Icebergs in Bondi under Monty Koludrovich led to a fresher take on modern cuisine compared to Europe and ingredients that were completely unknown to him.
"I not only fell in love with Japanese and the real Chinese cuisine but also Korean, Thai and Indian, all available in abundance around Australia’s big cities,” he explains.
After mentorship from Matt Jefferson at Social Eating House, Fabrizio took over the reins at Orzo in 2019 just as COVID ravaged the hospitality industry.
"A completely brand-new restaurant with a beautiful fit-out, functional kitchen and a dream team – all great factors, except for the pandemic or as I’ve been calling it ‘The Challenge’.
"I consider myself a calm and patient human being and Chef, but the challenge took extra effort. However, the restaurant made it and the whole team came out of it way stronger. We developed what some team members and now guests, call the ‘Orzo element’ taking over classic flavours or dishes and twisting them our way – but with common sense and seasoning!”
Fabrizio shares his recipe for cavatelli with roasted nduja sauce and cime di rapa with AGFG – a dish that has been on the menu for more than three years and when Chef tried to remove it, there was almost a riot with regulars.
"It is one of the first dishes I created fusing Sichuanese cuisine with South Italian classic produce – I consider this dish special because for the first time, I was told my style of cuisine made sense.”
Obsessed with Vietnamese pho, it is pizza that truly steals this Chef’s heart when he doesn’t feel like cooking!
"Secretly, I love Domino’s but only cheesy crust pizzas!”
