


Chef Riccardo Momesso
Resides
Melbourne
Worked
Australia, Italy and France
Mentors
Mum
Charities Involved in
 Stroke Foundation and Starlight Children’s Foundation
Bio
Riccardo Momesso is also a chef inspired by his heritage. Chef Momesso’s childhood was full of culinary adventures, as his dad would take him on countless excursions to rural Victoria, and teach him the importance of locally sourced produce. This rich rite of passage saw Momesso harness his cooking skills at a young age with product he had caught and sourced himself. From game, to pigs, to herbs and vegetables, there was hardly anything Momesso Snr overlooked in the process.
After owning and cooking at Sarti, a posh, 1 hatted restaurant in the vibrant Melbourne CBD, Momesso took a more direct focus on his Calabrian roots with his suburban venture Valentino. Homestyle, no fuss Italian food was on the menu, as well as a more reasonable roster, away from the pressures and long hours, incumbent when at the helm of a busy city restaurant.
Momesso apprenticed at Café Cucina in Sth Yarra, where he was poached to apprentice at Il Bácaro. He completed his apprenticeship at renowned French restaurant Est Est Est in Melbourne under Chef Donovan Cooke. From there, Momesso travelled the world to learn more about French and Italian food. After 4 educational years overseas, Momesso returned to Melbourne and Il Bácaro as head chef, on to Bottega and, of course, Sarti.
Naturally, Momesso cites his mum as his mentor.