FROM a child placated with pasta dough to a young chef working in the family restaurant, Davide Benati has a strong sense of family and fresh, simple food.
Davide is Italian Marina’s chef, and he prides himself on using fresh, local ingredients to create true Italian cuisine from old family recipes.
“One of my earliest memories is sitting beneath the bench where my mother would be making the fresh pasta dough every day. She would give me a piece of dough to play with and I was happy,” he said.
While growing up in Modena, Italy, Davide spent most of his time in the family restaurant perfecting recipes that showcase simple, fresh food.
“It is actually harder to make a simple dish perfect as there are fewer ingredients – you just can’t hide any mistakes,” he said.
“The secret is to create a dish that truly represents what is fresh and in-season, to bring out the flavours of each separate component.”
After leaving the family restaurant, Davide went on to chef is some of the world’s most famous restaurants including the 3-star Michelin-rated Florentine Enoteca Pinchiorri, Italy, Il Lago, Baulkham Hills, NSW, and Noosa’s Lindoni’s.
Davide has now joined forces with Italian Marina owners Michelangelo Cecconi and Beatrice Sciacca to create a menu that reflects the trio’s desire to bring the true taste of Italy to Noosa.
The menu includes Davide’s favourite dish, fish soup, which he describes as robust and full of flavour.
Made with a blend of mussels, prawns, calamari and chunks of juicy, fresh fish, in a red wine, tomato and herb soup, served with home-made sourdough bread.
Another favourite is the Tortelloni, which is Davide’s father’s recipe, and is made with ricotta, silver beet, butter, sage and parmesan.
The menu features a mix of rich Modena flavours and the lighter, seafood-based cuisine of Tuscany, made with local produce including Mooloolaba prawns.
There is a great selection of pastas, salads, wood-fired pizzas, plus breads and antipasti platters to share with friends.
Italian Marina restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Sunday, and breakfast on Sundays. Phone 0434 190 573 or see the menu and book online at www.italianmarina.com
