Melina Puntoriero has made it big in Italy after being a huge influence on the Riverina dining scene. Photo: Melina Puntoriero Chef.
Melina Puntoriero’s decision not to go to university put her on an unexpected path — one that has seen her own restaurants in two countries, run food tours for travellers from around the world and now host retreats in Italy’s gastronomic heartland.
Raised in Leeton in an Italian family home “that always smelt like food”, Ms Puntoriero began her career as a personal assistant to winery owner Michelle Nugan before opening a restaurant in Griffith with her brother Mark at just 19.
“If I’d gone to university I probably wouldn’t be where I am now,” she said.
“When you’re young, ignorant and stupid you make those decisions — but opening our own restaurant was the best decision I made,” she said.
“It was tough being a teenager and telling 60-year-olds what to do in the kitchen. We worked so many hours, missed out on a lot, but it was great.”
La Tavola quickly became a Griffith institution, known for its nonna-style southern Italian cooking.
After a decade at the helm, Ms Puntoriero handed over the business to her pizza maker Joe Barbaro, who renamed it Giuseppes Restaurant.
Melina cooking at La Tavola many years ago. Photo: Supplied.
“It got to the point where I needed to do something more, to take myself to the next level,” she said.
She travelled to Italy for what was meant to be a six-month trip, but never returned home.
“I went to a culinary school and fell in love with learning through the ingredients,” she said.
Now 36, Ms Puntoriero has carved out a niche in the mountains near Parma — the region famed for Parmigiano Reggiano and prosciutto di Parma. She opened her restaurant, Taverna Il Cortile (The Courtyard), and continues to run gastronomy tours for Wagga-based Food I Am and an American company.
“Evolution always happens. From the food tours came the retreats,” she said.
“It’s not enough just to teach — I want people to have the full experience.”
Her base sits along an ancient Roman trade route linking the Ligurian coast with the mountains, an area she says remains untouched by mass tourism.
“The towns along this route are like nothing you’d see in a tourist brochure,” she said.
“Our retreats give people the chance to get to know the villagers, how they live, and the importance of food in their daily lives.
“At a time when people are becoming so disconnected, home, food and family are still central to Italian culture — and that needs to be showcased.
“Italy has one of the lowest suicide and depression rates in the world. That’s scientifically connected to how they live.”
Melina lives in the town of Bedonia. Photo: Supplied.
Despite having so many pans on the stove, Ms Puntoriero still loves what she does.
“We are always busy, but it doesn’t feel like work,” she said.
Ms Puntoriero’s 12-year-old son Julian is already showing signs he may follow in her footsteps, regularly cooking lasagna from scratch for his mum.
“Maybe one day he’ll do the opposite of what I’ve done and want to come back to Australia,” she said.
Region asked Ms Puntoriero its chef profile questions for the Five Minutes With series:
Biggest culinary influence: My mother Minnie and all the nonnas in our extended family. The chef Yotam Ottolenghi is also a big influence.
Signature dish: Fresh pasta. I crank the music up when I first go to the restaurant and make fresh pasta for two hours, it’s like going to the gym.
One ingredient I can’t live without: Tomatoes, whether in a can or fresh, southern Italians can’t live without them.
Most embarrassing pantry item: Two-minute noodles. They’re so bad for you, but every chef probably secretly has them somewhere in their pantry.
Death row meal: Pasta al Pomodoro. Spaghetti with tomatoes. I could eat that every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Melina prepares dishes using the freshest ingredients. Photo: Supplied.
Least favourite food: Liver.
Unusual dish you prepare: Tripe. It’s a staple on our menu. People seems to love it here; I don’t know why.
Favourite cookbook: Always Delicious by Marion Grasby. It’s difficult to find Asian food in Italy so I cook a lot of her recipes at home.
Favourite cuisine (apart from Italian): Thai.
Best recent dining experience: I was doing a class in New York and they took me out to a Korean barbecue place that was fantastic.
Top three cooking tips:
- Use fresh ingredients. It’s the key to a good meal.
- Step away from packaging.
- Plan and organise. Don’t start cooking until you have everything ready.
More information on Melina’s retreats can be found on her website.
