Fresh from confirming he will head a new Salt Meats Cheese restaurant in Circular Quay as co-owner and executive chef, Mele will delight the crowd with his cooking knowledge and passion, which he developed as a young boy.
“I am pleased to announce Massimo Mele as our guest chef on the kitchen stage at the 20th Ferragosto,” City of Canada Bay Mayor Helen McCaffrey said.
“It is fitting that someone who has such affection for Italian food and has honed his craft over many years, helps us celebrate such a major milestone the festival’s history.”
“This respected culinary name adds to the wonderful entertainment on offer at Ferragosto this year,” Mayor McCaffrey said. “Five Dock will certainly be a feast for the senses with the unmistakable aromas of food, beautiful dance demonstrations and authentic music, as the community marks the occasion.”
Mele was born in Tasmania then spent his early years in Naples. His calling came at a young age. During school holidays he worked in the family restaurant, introducing locals to honest Italian fare made from the epicurean treasures of Tasmania. His first career break was working at Donovan’s, a dining institution in St Kilda, before returning to Tasmania to open his first restaurant, which quickly won industry praise.
Since then, Mele has spent time cooking on the Amalfi Coast and tending to his family’s tomato farm in the hills of Naples, running restaurants in Australia and abroad, appearing on television, cooking for dignitaries and divas overseas, and launching his Food by Massimo brand.
This year Ferragoso will feature more than 120 food and merchandise stalls along with spectacular dance and music performances across four different stages. Free rides and activities are sure to keep the children entertained.
Recording artist, Australian Idol finalist and Five Dock business owner Cosima De Vito, will feature along with Coro D’Abruzzo Italian Choir and Shine Dance Academy Tarantella Dancers.
Ferragosto promises to be the perfect way to explore the beauty of Italian culture in Five Dock and celebrate the vibrant multiculturalism in the City of Canada Bay on Sunday, 20 August from 10am-4pm.
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Ferragosto began in 1998 as an initiative of Five Dock’s Main Street Committee in the Garfield Street car park, but as it grew it moved to Great North Road. As the demand, size and cost of the event increased, so did The City of Canada Bay’s involvement. The festival now stretches for about 800 metres in length plus the side streets off Great North Road.