Claudio lo Pinto was born in Palermo, Sicily. Watching his father cook at home, while his mother did other household chores intrigued young Claudio’s interest; as a child, he always saw a man do the cooking and so decided to become a chef himself when he grew up!
From a very young age, Claudio developed a deep interest in exploring Italian cuisine. He continued to nurture his interest in this domain and joined the Ipssar Paolo Borsellino School in Palermo, where he studied for five years to obtain a Diploma in Hospitality Management.
Alongside academics, Claudio started working in the kitchen of a small local pizzeria in Palermo to gain hands-on experience at the age of 16. For two years he juggled school and his job/passion. When he turned 18, he decided to visit France and gain knowledge about traditional French cuisine. Upon returning from France, he finished school, got his Diploma and took the first step towards achieving his ambition by taking up his very first job offer at the 5-Star Majestic Miramonti Hotel in the town of Cortina d’Ampezzo in Northern Italy. Claudio worked at the Majestic Miramonti for a few years and then joined the Fiesta Hotel Resort in Cefalu. After gaining significant experience from these two jobs, Claudio opened his own restaurant in Palermo.
From Europe to Australia
Claudio later moved to Australia to gain experience in the food and hospitality sector Down Under. Upon arriving in Sydney, Claudio worked at 21 Restaurant in Walsh Bay. After three years, he got a promotion and moved to Cavallino Restaurant at Terrey Hills as the Head Chef.
During his career, Claudio has had a chance to work with the most prestigious restaurants and fine-dine hotels serving a variety of global cuisines. However, this local Italian lad’s true love and allegiance lies with traditional Italian food – the kind he remembers his father cooking at home and the entire family enjoying together at the dinner table.
Driven by the same love and passion for Italian cuisine, Claudio has come on board as a Partner for the new Sale Pepe Pizzeria at Brookvale, to bring a new range of Italian dishes to what was once only a Pizzeria. New dishes including fresh, hand-made pasta, cafe style delicious day-time food & more!
He already has big plans to delight the local customers. So, if you are in the vicinity and craving for a delicious pasta or healthy/exotic salad, do stop by at the new Sale Pepe Brookvale to experience first-hand what your new local Italian chef has to offer!
