Rocky Pitarelli says “everyone has a got a Caruso’s story” – and he’s out to ensure there will be many more.
The Gymea restaurant, which for many years was one of the most popular in Sutherland Shire, reopens tonight (Thursday) after closing a few months ago.
Mr Pitarelli, who was the head chef from 1999 to 2006, bought the business and plans to recapture the attributes from the glory days.
“It used to be a great restaurant,” he said.
“Everyone has a Caruso’s story – I reckon half the babies in the shire followed a night out at Caruso’s.
“But, it lost direction, and people stopped coming.
“I am going to breathe new life, new energy, into it.”
Mr Pitarelli said it had been a long-time dream of his to buy the restaurant.
“I wanted to buy it years ago, and regret I didn’t, but I thought the price they were asking was too high,” he said.
Mr Pitarelli said his aim was to make Caruso’s “a meeting place to celebrate life and enjoy the company of family and friends.”
“We are going in a new direction with food,” he said.
“It will be rustic Italian, using a number of good and innovative food concepts that keep up with modern trends in the restaurant market but respecting Italian food for its simplicity.
”My meals will be generous as I like to eat – you can tell. You won’t go home hungry.
“My Italian heritage has always been food and I now have the opportunity and freedom to showcase this to the customer.”
The phone number for bookings, until a landline is connected, is 0410 528 613.
