Francesco Mannelli

Executive Chef

“Respect for ingredients was instilled in me as a child. It is important to know how much hard work, effort and commitment is behind every single ingredient. Farmers, growers, fishermen, suppliers and chefs; we are all part of the same chain.”

Four Seasons Tenure

Since 2017
First Four Seasons Assignment: Executive Chef, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

Employment History

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney; Mosaic, Uccello, Est, Bistrode CBD, Osteria Balla - all in Sydney; Villa San Michele, Fiesole, Italy; Cantinetta Antinori, Florence, Italy

Education

Diploma (5 years) Hospitality and Culinary School, Florence

Birthplace

Florence, Italy

Languages Spoken

English, Italian, Spanish

Francesco Mannelli is an award-winning chef and specialist in creating simple yet technically brilliant, delicious dishes that hero fresh, seasonal produce. Originally from Florence, Francesco has more than 25 years’ experience in some of the best restaurants in Australia and Italy, including a decade in award-winning Sydney restaurants such as Balla, Est. and Bistrode CBD.

Born into a family of food lovers in one of the world’s most food-centric regions, Francesco was brought up to respect the best quality produce and the suppliers behind them – and this remains the uncompromising foundation of his cooking philosophy to this day. As a boy, he spent hours in the kitchen learning from his mother how to cook traditional Tuscan cuisine; picked grapes, harvested olives and watched the process of cold-pressed oil at his uncle’s vineyard and olive grove; and on weekends travelled 100 kilometres (62 miles) to fish off the sand of the Tuscan coast.

He pursued this passion to an apprenticeship as a chef and also attained certification as a sommelier. His first chef de partie job was in the tiny kitchen at the iconic Cantinetta Antinori in the Antinori Mansion owned by one of the oldest families in Florence, cooking traditional rustic Tuscan fare to match with local Marchesi Antinori wines. From here, Francesco landed a demi chef role at famed Villa San Michele, under the guidance of one of Italy’s great chefs, Attilio Di Fabrizio. It was here he refined his skills, learning tips from Attilio including how to make the perfect risotto, and cooking everything from scratch, from salumi and cheese to croissants baked at 5:00 am each morning.

After following his dream to move to Australia, Francesco gained a reputation for uncluttered and technically perfect cooking. He was handpicked to support celebrated Chef Peter Doyle at the renowned Est. restaurant, British Chef Jeremy Strode at Bistrode CBD restaurant, and Stefano Manfredi’s modern Italian restaurant, Osteria Balla. Here, his rustic Tuscan style evolved into a more contemporary approach, which defines the seasonal modern Australian menus at Mode Kitchen and Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Sydney.

Now Executive Chef at Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor, he oversees all culinary operations on the historic property.

When he’s not in the kitchen, Francesco travels widely and leaves no stone unturned to source the best ingredients from top growers and specialist local farmers. He loves to hear the stories behind ingredients, and meet the fishermen who brave the seas to put the best catch in his hands each day. On weekends, he relives his childhood fishing expeditions with his own kids, taking them on trips to pass on his love and respect for fresh ingredients and their natural environments – and bringing the catch home to cook up a nostalgic Tuscan feast.