The charismatic Alessandro Pavoni has opened Australia’s eyes to the breadth of regional Italian food. And the glories of a true risotto. Opening the beautiful waterside restaurant Ormeggio in 2009 and appearing on MasterChef has provided him with the perfect platform to express the finer points of the cooking of Lombardy, his home region. He is also one of the few Australian chefs exploring the cutting-edge of contemporary Italian cuisine. He trained in Brescia but has worked in Michelin-starred establishments such as la Rotonde in France and Villa Fiordaliso on Lake Garda.