Chefs on the women who raised them – and inspired their careers

Australian restaurants everywhere will soon pack out with happy throngs honouring their mums. Treating mothers, and generally making a fuss over (arguably) the most important woman in everyone’s lives, is a lovely yearly ritual. But behind the kitchen doors of busy eateries this Mother’s Day are chefs with mums too. We quizzed three chefs about their mums, and the lessons learnt that have inspired and informed their work.

Johnny Di Francesco on putting love into every dish

Johnny Di Francesco, busy director of Melbourne’s Gradi Group, which encompasses multiple restaurants, a deli and market, dessert bar and pizza and pasta takeaway, adores his mum. But for him, it’s really his maternal nonna who exerted the most female influence over his life and career. She kickstarted his passion for cooking. “I learnt something new every time I spent time with her,” he remembers.

In fact, he still craves Mum’s veal cotoletta and Nonna’s stracciatella soup. “The biggest things I’ve taken from both their cooking is simplicity, using fresh produce and cooking with love. They always stay true to a dish. They never try and overcomplicate things; I was always told that fewer recipe steps are best! Our menu at 400 Gradi reflects this – we stay true to Italian food, use fresh, seasonal produce, and only source the best ingredients,” he explains.

“I love what we do [at 400 Gradi]! The love Nonna puts into every meal is a big inspiration. She drilled into me that this is the most important ingredient in any dish you create,” he says. “All of her tips and tricks have been carried through to the daily running of our restaurants; such as always using cold potato when making gnocchi.”

Nonna was thrilled when he became a chef, as cooking is such a big part of his inherited Italian culture. “It meant I could put into practice everything she taught me growing up” he says.

Micheal Tassis on the importance of generosity

For Micheal Tassis of Brisbane’s large Tassis Group, which includes Massimo Restaurant & Bar, Rich & Rare, Fatcow on James St and more, the story was similar. Growing up in a Greek-Aussie family meant being around lots of food.

“Food was at the core,” he remembers. “From an early age I loved being around the excitement of the kitchen.

His parents owned and cooked in restaurants for most of his childhood. He credits this with his passion for cooking. “My earliest memories are of both my parents having street parties or inviting neighbours over for a Greek barbecue feast. Mum was a fantastic cook. Putting on enormous spreads of food was a symbol of love and brought everyone together – that’s the same sentiment I like to bring to my restaurants,” he says.

And the overarching life lessons his mum taught for life in professional kitchens? There are many. “Respect is key,” he says, adding that appreciating everyone he serves and works with is an abiding value.

Generosity is another legacy learned from his mother, and one that he’s proud to have carried throughout his career. “Mum would always go all out [when hosting],” he laughs. “[When I cook,] there’s leftover food for days [and I] always season well.”

David Tsirekas on nurturing and nourishment

David Tsirekas is known for his former Sydney restaurants Perama and Xanthi, for being head chef at fine diner 1812, and now his consulting work. He’s also of Greek heritage, and says his mother still inspires him every day.

“At 90, she’s still a great cook,” he laughs. “She wakes every morning to roll out filo dough, packs it in stacks, then freezes it in a specially bought freezer. She says she’s building up a stockpile in case she dies, so I still have her filo to work with.”

You can sense the reverence David has for both his parents, but particularly his mother. They came to Australia after World War II with barely anything and were never wealthy, but family life was incredibly rich.

“Mum always expressed unconditional love through food,” he explains. “Both Mum and Dad had a simple philosophy – ‘the needs of the many outweigh the needs of one.’ They have always been the most giving people I ever met, expressed mostly through food.”

When pursuing his own cooking career, David knew he wanted to carry on their legacy. “[I wanted to take that] same dedication and ego-less approach,” he says. “I saw the happiness [she] experienced through the art of cooking, and the generosity of spirit with which she nourished others.”

This has been his Mum’s greatest influence on his storied career, and he’s tried to live by her ‘actions speak louder than words’ credo. Was his Mum happy he became a chef?

“Oh, yes. She always brags [about me], but says she is a better chef but that I do the fancy’ stuff nicely,” he laughs. “She loves my tarama and tzatziki – they’re her favourites.”