The best innovation occurs when ideas are social. Head Chef Massimo Speroni from Bacchus Brisbane has maintained prominence for years continually expanding the boundaries of haute couture. He continually leaves us gasping each season with the unveiling of his new menus. As long time fans and diners enjoy the showstoppers of his new Spring menu, he steps onto yet another fresh culinary canvas with a new dining experience series as he is joined by former colleague, Chef Massamiliano Mascia.
The Massimiliano Mascia Series :
With Thursday and Saturday now sold out there are now only three more seatings available.
- Wednesday October 23 – 5:30pm to 7:30pm or 8:00pm to 10:00pm – The Massimiliano Mascia 4-course set menu with bread selection, amuse-bouche, welcome from the kitchen and petit four – $120 per person.
- Friday October 25 – 6:00pm to 9:30pm – The Massimiliano Mascia 6-course experience, beginning with canapés in the Bacchus bar – $200 per person.
This year we’ve seen the scupltured egg shell of emu, martini jelly, a mascarpone and honey dessert in the shape of a pear.
It is the first time Chef Mascia has visited Australia and takes residency at Bacchus this week. Growing up with an amazing mentor in his uncle Chef Valentino Marcattilli, it was inevitable that Chef Mascia would be drawn to a career in food. He began working in kitchens at 14 to earn his alberghiero (hotel services-related) diploma.
After finishing school, he embarked on a journey across countries to further his understanding of raw ingredients, technique, and flavour. These travels took him from working in his home country of Italy at Ristorante Vissani and Ristorante Romano di Viareggio, to the USA at Osteria Fiamma of New York, and to France at Bastide Saint Antoine then at the multi-starred Parisian restaurant Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenée.
Now in his 30s, Chef Mascia has returned to Italy where his uncle has passed the torch of leadership of Ristorante San Domenico. Ristorante San Domenico opened in Imola on March 7, 1970. In 1973 it gained its first mention in the Michelin guide, in 1975 it earned its first Michelin Star and in 1977, (42 years ago), its second. The standards have never wavered.
In its formative years the kitchen was run by Nino Bergese, known as the cook of kings, the king of cooks. It was Bergese who mentored Chef Marcattilli, who in turn mentored Chef Mascia. This is an exciting prospect for the future of Ristorante San Domenico, with the knowledge of the original Head Chef passed down to Chef Mascia guaranteeing some continuity combined with innovation from a new generation.
Chef Speroni joined Bacchus direct from Ristorante San Domenico in 2017, bringing with him an extraordinary cache of experience, having worked under owner-chef Marcattilii as Sous Chef, and in his formative years as a Chef de Partie and Junior Sous. Through Speroni’s flavour-lens, the menu features fresh, classically created dishes. A specialist in degustations, Bacchus offers a range of the multi-plate dining experiences, from seasonal showcases to homages of beef, truffles, seafood and even dessert. The a la carte menu features standout cuts and crops from the local region, and flavours from around the world.
The embodiment of the exotic luxury that Bacchus evokes is through the leadership on the floor of Restaurant Manager, Kevin Puglisevich and his customer centred team food and beverage attendants. The seamless crafting, connoiseurship and staging that occurs from your entry into Rydges South Bank’s rooftop is an experience that defines this veny as the premier lifestyle destination in Brisbane that’s embedded in the cultural, dining, sporting and corporate life of the city.
