Chef Book Bellissimo with Noosa Waterfront Restaurant & Bar
No fancy manoeuvres from chef Andrea Ravezzani, just ingredients respectfully treated and allowed to shine, and as Helen Flanagan discovers, the same applies to an exciting and inspirational new chapter.
Sitting alongside the Noosa River, so close you could bid ‘ciao’ to passing boats, the spectacular Noosa Waterfront Restaurant and Bar marries the Italian classic with the ultra-modern, presenting an experience that would rank highly on the Tuscan Coast. That’s not surprising, given chef and restaurateur Andrea Ravezzani was born in Milan, and for nearly 10 years, has infused his craft with local seaside pizzazz.
This is the type of neighbourhood restaurant you move neighbourhoods for. The location and the understated elegance of the restaurant certainly have a bit to do with it, as does the friendly but finessed style of service, a formidable wine list that naturally champions Italian drops, and of course Andrea’s thoughtful expressions of making dishes sing. Think lashings of kissed-by-the-sun fresh-picked local produce as good as it gets in season; plump Appelation Sydney rock oysters; exotic Beluga and Oscietra Royal caviars; Venison carpaccio; and Fritto misto with soft shell crab and whitebait.
Menu mainstays such as fresh-caught reef fish; Bistecca alla Florentina; Duck breast with foie gras mousse; and Cotoletta alla Milanese; always inspire, as do pasta dishes from pumpkin tortelli; and Spanner crab tortellini, to Mancini spaghetti with North Queensland lobster, chilli, grilled cherry tomatoes, preserved lemon and bisque. Nonna’s tiramisu, which has been elevated by Venezuelan chocolate and coffee ice cream is the perfect excuse to linger longer, enjoy a dessert wine, and the breezy water views.
If recreating some of the aforementioned dishes is on your culinary radar or you’ve dined at the restaurant wondering about their creation, salivate no longer. A ravishing coffee table-style book Chef Artist Place by Andrea Ravezzani and renowned local photographer Andy Maccoll has arrived! This creative collaboration celebrates the harmony between the place being Noosa, chef Andrea’s restaurant and food, and all captured exquisitely by Andy’s vibrant photography by merging fine dining, fine art and one of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations. Andrea’s friendship with Andy started in 2017, when he photographed the restaurant’s numerous attributes, including each season’s new menu additions. A catalogue of images naturally ensued.
“The idea of more an art-style book with recipes came to us during Covid,” recalls Andrea whose global career includes sous chef for the Princess Cruise Line, and distinctions in prestigious Italian Cuisine Championships, also Gastronomia Italiana.
“It is inspired by the place where we live, outstanding produce and world-class products we have at our fingertips, matched with outstanding photographs of Noosa and so many dishes close to my Italian heart.”
To celebrate and officially launch the coffee-table book collaboration, join Andrea and Andy at Noosa Waterfront for a Celebratory Lunch & Book Launch on 12 December. Featuring a welcome glass of wine plus two courses of dishes featured in the book and dessert to share, the event offers the opportunity to find out more about this exciting project and to purchase your own copy, signed by Andrea. It’s the perfect gift and ultimate coffee table book for any home. But be quick as there are less than 1,000 copies remaining! Celebrate the stunning landscapes of Noosa and dishes from one of our leading chefs – get yours online or at Noosa Waterfront where Andrea just might sign a copy for you.
Bellissimo Chef Artist Place and molto bene Andrea and Andy!
GET THE BOOK!
CHEF ARTIST PLACE by Andrea Ravezzani and Andrew Maccoll
Celebratory Lunch & Book Launch:
Noosa Waterfront, 142 Gympie Terrace
Thursday 12 December, 12 noon
Enjoy a glass of wine and two courses with dishes from the book, plus dessert to share. Tickets: $60 per person. Phone: 5474 4444
Signed copies available from Noosa Waterfront Restaurant or online at www.chefartist.place
From Chef Artist Place
Tagliolini with Fraser Isle spanner crab
Ingredients:
- 1 pasta dough (using your favourite recipe or Nonna’s Pasta Dough recipe from the book)
- 300g Spanner Crab meat (green)
- 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Olive oil
- 2 spring onions
Method:
- Roll the pasta dough using a pasta machine until you have a nice sheet of pasta. Cut into 30cm lengths and pass it through a Tagliolini cutter.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add some rock salt to salt the pasta while it’s cooking. Add the pasta and cook until it is al dente, approx. 3 minutes.
For the Sauce:
- In a frying pan, add olive oil, garlic, and spring onions. Cook until golden.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they are nice and soft.
- Add the spanner crab meat, cook for a minute and turn off the heat.
- Let the mixture rest to infuse the flavours into the sauce.
- Turn the heat back on, add the pasta to the sauce and sauté until you have a nice combination. Add a drop of olive oil and serve.
