It’s been just over two years since chef, Alessandro Bonfigli headed up the kitchen at popular bayside restaurant, Pipi’s Kiosk. He’s brought in his own energy and international experience while keeping the much-loved diner very Melbourne-focussed. Hilary McNevin chat's to him for this month’s The Press.
Describe your cooking style in three words.
Seasonal, Fusion, Transported
Where’s the last place you dined out, and what did you order?
Flower Drum, and I ordered Peking duck, Pearl meat and the Seafood Soup Dumplings.
If you owned a restaurant that cooked only one dish, what would it be?
Whole roasted fish; just good fish, good oil, fire and time. Nothing to hide behind, only the quality of the produce.
Most underrated ingredient in the kitchen?
Acid - especially in the form of citrus or vinegar. It’s the thing that makes food come alive; a few drops of lemon juice or a splash of vinegar can take a dish from flat to vibrant instantly.
What’s your favourite dish on the menu at the moment?
Rosette biscuit, filled with smoked eel pate and lacto-fermented Davidson Plum.
What do you cook at home when you can’t be bothered or after a big shift?
Simple pasta, with butter, parmesan and truffle.
Your favourite MZ oil/olive product and what’s your favourite way to use it?
My favourite MZ oil is Frantoio and I use it for cooking or in a vinaigrette.
Who’s your biggest culinary influence? Can be a writer, chef or loved one…anyone really!
My grandmother. She's the first person who ever put me to work in a kitchen. I still have a vivid memory of her on a Sunday morning, dusting the bench with flour and rolling fresh pasta by hand. She never followed a recipe - it was all instinct and love.
What recipe have you chosen to share with us and why?
Alfonsino tartare, Heirloom Carrot, Aguachile. A dish about precision, acidity and the beauty of a single ingredient expressed in full. Translucent heirloom carrot coins float over a raw Alfonsino in a vivid carrot aguachile. Head here for the full recipe.
Do you play music in the kitchen? If so, what’s on high rotation at the moment?
Absolutely! Music in the kitchen is basically an ingredient during our meal preparation before service, and we rotate what’s on based on which part of the team is in the kitchen.
But there’s no music during service - the kitchen has its own rhythm. The sounds of the pass, the pans, the team calling out.
https://www.pipiskiosk.com.au/
