A Pursuit of Passion – Chef Massimo Mele

Chef Massimo Mele is one of Australia’s most widely recognised Chefs. Born in Tasmania with family roots in Italy, he has thrived on being able to explore the produce and culinary techniques of both cultures. His passion for sharing fresh quality food has been the key to his success.

Massimo has achieved a colourful and impressive career portfolio. He has brought delicious cuisine to all areas of Australia through pop-up restaurants, including his chefs table series, Tutti a Tavola, where he collaborated with local producers around Tasmania.

After his big break in Melbourne working at Donovans for Chef Roberto Castellanni Donovan; Massimo went on to succeed in leading roles is Sydney such as Executive Chef for The Hugo’s Group (featuring the recognizable ‘Hugo’s Sky Bar’ ‘Hugo’s Manly Wharf’) and La Scala on Jersey.

Massimo has been named as ambassador for the Audi Centre Hobart and represented brands such Electrolux and Mutti Australia.

After an extensive career spanning both Melbourne and Sydney, plus another stint in Italy to further explore the cuisine; Massimo now resides in Tasmania where his family and heart is. Massimo juggles running his own business, Catering By Massimo, and the position of Food Director at Grain of the Silo’s in Launceston.

Massimo’s philosophy is ‘keep it fresh, use the best ingredients and let the produce be the hero’.

Watch this video to find out how Massimo started his pursuit of passion into the culinary industry. Discover his journey and how he was inspired by his environment, family and freshly available produce.

Chef Massimo teaches us that if you are passionate about achieving something, you will achieve it. Turn your passion into your career and love what you do.

Massimo has been a friend of Chef Works for over 10 years. He’s often seen in our Memphis Apron & Springfield Chef Jacket. Our personal highlights have been annually cooking alongside Massimo at OzHarvest’s CEO Cookoff (raising awareness for fighting food waste and money to bring food to vulnerable Australians). We’re proud to see both Massimo and the participating Chefs donning Chef Jackets and working together for such a fantastic cause.

We’ve shared his journey and he’s shared ours. Now we’re excited to present this inspirational video as a thank you to Massimo for his loyalty and support, to celebrate the abundance of quality product in Tasmania and the rest of Australia, and to inspire others in the industry.

Video Credit: Jamie Henshall, founder and director of TNM Creative Media.

Jamie’s history as a Chef and extensive involvement in the hospitality industry, and of course, his incredible videography skills were invaluable in capturing Massimo and his story.

Follow Chef Massimo Mele on social media:
@chefmassimomele