Traditional Tales with Chef Andrea Ravezzani
Deb Caruso meets the local chef-turned-restaurant owner who combines a love of tradition with local flavours and a whole lot of passion.
Name
Andrea Ravezzani
Position
Owner, Executive Chef
Restaurant
Noosa Waterfront
How/Why did you become a chef?
I became a chef because of my Nonna’s cooking. Her love for food inspired me to pursue a career as a chef and I learned to appreciate the magic of simple ingredients and the importance of tradition.
What are your career highlights?
The most rewarding moment of my career so far has been owning two restaurants and receiving my first Chef’s Hat. These achievements reflect years of hard work, dedication, and a passion for the culinary arts. They have fuelled my drive to continue pushing the boundaries of my craft.
What do you love about being a chef?
I love the pressure, adrenaline, and creativity. The fast-paced environment of the kitchen keeps me on my toes, and the rush of adrenaline during busy service is exhilarating. I thrive on the challenge of creating new dishes and experimenting with flavours to deliver memorable dining experiences.
What do you love about local produce?
I love the freshness, quality, and support for small businesses. It’s ready to use and bursting with flavour. I love all our local producers, they are all my favourites.
What is your approach to food?
It’s pretty simple: less is more, and fresh is best. I believe in letting the natural flavours of ingredients shine by keeping recipes uncomplicated and using high-quality, fresh produce.
Who is your culinary inspiration?
Inspiration comes from many Italian chefs. Their dedication to tradition, mastery of flavours, and emphasis on simplicity resonate deeply with me and influence my approach to cooking.
Who would you love to cook for?
I would love to cook for Marco Pierre White as a master chef and for my dad, who is no longer with us.
Marco Pierre White’s culinary expertise would inspire me to showcase my best dishes, and cooking for my dad would be a heartfelt way to honour his memory and share a meal together, even if only in spirit.
What is your favourite dish – to eat or cook?
Spaghetti Carbonara! A timeless classic that never fails to satisfy. As a boy, I grew up with this as my favourite dish – it was like bacon and eggs to us and we had it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I often eat it before my shift starts at the restaurant. It’s a simple yet flavourful meal that brings everyone together around the table. It’s also my son’s favourite dish and when my mumma was over from Italy recently, she made it nearly every day. It was always the answer to ‘what would you like for lunch or dinner?’
What do you love about Noosa?
What I love about being in Noosa is the paradise it offers, and of course, being with my wife and son.
Any advice for young chefs?
Start from the bottom, work hard, and travel a lot. Embrace entry-level positions to gain experience, and explore diverse culinary cultures through travel to enrich your skills and perspective.
Favourite kitchen tool?
A sharp, reliable knife is essential for precision cutting and preparing ingredients, while tongs provide versatility and control when handling food on the stove or grill.
Favourite ingredient?
Seafood for its versatility and delicate flavours.
Traditional Spaghetti Carbonara
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 400g spaghetti
- 200g of guanciale (Italian cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks) or good quality bacon
- 4 egg yolks
- 200g pecorino romano or parmiggiano reggiano
- Salt and pepper
Method:
- In a small/medium bowl beat the egg yolks until well combined; add the grated pecorino and pepper and beat to combine.
- In a large pot boil the water, once the water is at a roaring boil add a little salt (depending on how salty your guanciale is) and the pasta, stir and cook until a little more than al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, slice the guanciale into short thin strips.
- In a large pan add the olive oil and guanciale and cook until desired doneness, I like it on the crunchy side.
- On medium/high heat, add the al dente pasta to the pan, add 1/2 ladle of hot pasta water and stir constantly to combine for about 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg mixture and combine.
- Add 1/3 cup or a ladle of hot pasta water (the heat from the pasta and the pasta water will cook the eggs without turning it into scrambled eggs)
- Toss continually until well combined.
- Serve immediately topped with freshly grated pecorino and black pepper.
