ON THE PAS S

with DANNY ROSSI, BELONGIL BEACH ITALIAN FOOD How did you get into cooking?

Food always played a huge role in my life. My mother would always give her maximum effort day after day to cook a rich, flavoursome meal after a long day at work. Around the age of 12, I wanted to be able to cook something on my own. I still remember my first ever dish, crepes with Nutella. The feeling of being able to transform a few ingredients into something delicious got me hooked. Growing up, I cooked more and more for friends and family and felt rewarded by the gift of pleasure given to those around me. This led me to start my career as a chef and I enrolled at Gambero Rosso chef academy in Rome.

What dishes can people look forward to enjoying at Belongil Beach

Italian Food come April? I am playing around with great autumn flavours like burrata with San Daniele prosciutto XO sauce; and wild boar ragù.

What is your signature dish when cooking at home? Hard to say, I really like to cook something different all the time... But if I had to pick a few dishes, I’d say, baby octopus and potatoes arrabbiata; rigatoni with Amatriciana sauce; and bucatini, mussels and Pecorino Romano.

What do you love about cooking Italian food? It’s the connection to my roots in Rome and how it keeps my memories alive, like the amazing meals I shared with my family and other loved ones I left behind since moving.

What’s your favourite Italian staple to cook with and why? Pecorino Romano DOP. It’s so versatile, and it is one of the staples of Roman cuisine, I would put it on virtually everything.

Belongil Beach Italian Food, 33-35 Childe St, Byron Bay, NSW, bbif.com.au