An Interview With Martita Mestey
Be adaptable to new trends, particularly in the digital landscape.
As a part of our series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became a Restaurateur”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ele Troise.
ELE TROISE is a longstanding, well known figure in the hospitality scene in Melbourne, Australia. Inspired to cook by his mother and grandfather, today Ele is the owner of SASSY ITALIAN — a passion project known as the finest Italian restaurant in the city. Ele proudly points out that many of the dishes on SASSY’s menu are from his own upbringing.) Ele previously owned the successful Pronto on Flinders, a bustling cafe in Melbourne, for almost two decades.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to ‘get to know’ you a bit. Can you share with our readers a story about what inspired you to become a restaurateur?
My grandfather really inspired me to become a restaurateur. He was a chef in Italy and Australia. He was my childhood idol and taught me a lot about cooking, using cutlery, etc.
Do you have a specific type of food that you focus on? What was it that first drew you to cooking that type of food? Can you share a story about that with us?
Italian cuisine. My upbringing revolved around my grandfather and mother. Food has always been a huge part of our culture, which really drew me to continue this legacy.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you became a restaurateur? What was the lesson or take away you took out of that story?
The real standout moments were when my mum would come to the restaurant on the weekends and cook with me. We had such a laugh winding each other up, and sharing those beautiful times together really stood out.
Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? How did you overcome this obstacle?
When I first started, the hard times were the unknowns of getting your first customers through the door. I overcame it by continuing to push forward, being creative and innovative, and building relationships to generate repeat business. I enjoyed getting to know my customers and connecting more meaningfully.
In your experience, what is the key to creating a dish that customers are crazy about?
It starts with creating a dish you’re crazy about yourself and adding your own stamp on it. An example of this on my menu is Ele’s spicy salami. It has my own unique recipe, and customers love it!
Personally, what is the ‘perfect meal for you’?
For me, there is no perfect meal, as we put everything into making every dish, we create special.
Where does your inspiration for creating come from? Is there something that you turn to for a daily creativity boost?
My inspiration for creating new dishes comes from what chefs do in Italy. I regularly read through old Italian cooking books for inspiration, and that’s what inspires me so much. It never comes from one place.
Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? What impact do you think this will have?
We are currently planning Italian dinner and show nights to bring people together, have a dance and enjoy a selection of our dishes. We’re replicating how the culture is in Italy.
What advice would you give to other restaurateurs to thrive and avoid burnout?
Make sure you have the passion in your blood before attempting to follow through with the decision. If you don’t have it, the road will be difficult.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started as a Restaurateur” and why?
- How hard it is to be successful in the industry.
- You are unable to make everyone happy.
- Focus on your target market.
- Be adaptable to new trends, particularly in the digital landscape.
- Rising costs and managing staff.
What’s the one dish people have to try if they visit your establishment?
My lasagna! The recipe is my grandfathers and is over 50 years old. It is one of my most popular dishes at Sassy and has been on the menu at all my restaurants. The feedback we receive is incredible and is a must try.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Hugging people! It’s a beautiful thing and more than just a handshake. It shows you care and that person is more than a friend.
Thank you so much for these insights. This was very inspirational!
Ele Troise of Sassy Italian: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became a Restaurateur was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.