Chef Domenico enchants the senses

COME say "Ciao" to the chef extraordinaire of Fratini's Restaurant, Chef Domenico Piras. You will certainly be immersed in his passion for flavourful culinary creations and a passion for pampering your taste buds.

This Italian chef from Sardinia Island, Italy has impressed many with his delicious concoctions around his homeland Italy as well as in the Middle East, Europe, South America, Singapore and Malaysia before he was persuaded to share his expertise in Brunei Darussalam by the business partners of Fratini's Restaurant, Haji Musa Adinin and Adam Kalebic.

Having been in Brunei for about a couple of months, he likes the peaceful environment in the country and feels that it evokes a sense of calmness and helps to explore his creative senses.

A specialist in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, Chef Domenico says food makes people happy and he is happy when his cooking pleases diners.

What inspires him in his cooking?

Chef Domenico grins and says, "My mother is a very great woman. I love my mother very much but her cooking is hmmm, not so good so, on Sundays, my father cooks, and finally we all enjoy the food. I love my father's cooking. It is good, wholesome and makes us happy."

His favourite food is pasta and vegetables and he goes one step further with his beautifully styled dishes. "My style is 100 per cent Italian and Mediterranean. The taste is authentic and I believe that one should not mix too many ingredients together. In my opinion, this will kill the taste. One should make cooking simple yet delicious."

Who inspires him in life?

Chef Domenico waves his hands and says, "You must really get to know this maestro! He is none other than Chef Mauro Ernesto, one of the finest chefs I have ever known. He is now in his 60's and is one of the first chefs in Italy to win the prestigious Michelin Chef award. Working under him, I felt like I was working under a slave driver, but when I reflect back, I realised that he drove me hard, so that I can learn better, and be more resilient, as well as be a perfectionist in my cooking. In his prime, Chef Mauro Ernesto cooked the finest meals in Italy and I was his apprentice for about four years and I can tell you that this experience has moulded me to who I am today."

"I have been cooking for 26 years and I love my job. I am fortunate that Fratini's Restaurant allows me to develop my culinary flair further, and in time to come, I hope to play a role in the restaurant's long-term expansion plans around Brunei, Borneo and other countries around the world."

Any quotable quotes?

Chef Domenico advises, "Cooking is a very particular job. It is not as easy as one thinks. Not all mentor chefs are friendly. You have to work hard, and work smart. Most important is—love your job. Cultivate a passion for cooking and your food will enthral the senses."

Other than Italian cuisine, he also loves Thai food which he says, is full of spices and fragrant with the usage of ingredients such as lemon grass, etc. On Fratini's Restaurant, Chef Domenico says that the restaurant has a lot of potential and with the vision of the business partners, will go a long way.

He feels that the restaurant is creative and utilises both combination of talent, investment and resources to move forward and in being innovative to please the palate of the people of Brunei Darussalam.

Well, if you love fine Italian cuisine, I'd say that there is no better place to savour it than at Fratini's Restaurant and let Chef Domenico Piras tantalise your taste buds and get you whistling merrily on your way home. The Brunei Times