“I earnestly believe life should never be static or boring and you can taste the passion and happiness in my food!!”

With a love for all thing food and the art of opera, chef Fortunato Mazzone, co-owner of Ritrovo Ristorante in Waterkloof Heights, Pretoria, along with his father, Giovanni, is a dynamic man with varied interests – all with one common theme, a celebration of sensory expression and the good life.

The multi-award winning media-personality is a South African born Italian whose family has been cooking and running restaurants for the last five generations.

Apart from whipping up much-loved dishes at Ritrovo, running coffee bar/bakery BICCCS (Bread, Icecream, Cake, Croissant, Coffee, Sandwiches) and involvement in the olive oil and wine businesses, the ‘singing chef’ also has an involvement in opera and upliftment, sitting on the board of the Black Tie Opera Ensemble Fund.

Fortunato nurtured and supported this group of singers, mostly from previously disadvantaged communities, until they became the resident Opera Company of the State Theatre in Pretoria.

For this, he received the Business Arts South Africa Award (BASA) 2003, which honours arts involvement and support from small businesses.

Fortunato is also a member of the SA Chefs Association, the Vice-Echanson of The Ordre Mondial and the Conseilleur Culinaire honoraire of the International Gastronomic Society of the Chaine des Rotisseurs as well as a judge in many local competitions, including participating in the selection panel of the recently held Sunday Times SA Chef of the year competition.

Another hot media appearance was last month’s Sunday Times/BBC Food International Food Show as a featured chef along with Reza Mohammed and Ainsley Harriot.

Sometimes you wonder where he finds the time to fit everything in. And, there’s more…

Fortunato is also involved in the wine industry helping to produce ‘Nick and Forti’s Wines’ from Saronsberg wine farm as well as the olive oil industry, bottling Ritrovo-labelled premium organic extra virgin olive oil from Living Waters farm in Paarl together with Chris Bosch.

This dedication to participating in food production from the source, shows a deep love for quality food and diverse knowledge of all that this entails.

A true foodie, through and through.

Look out for Fortunato’s cookbook to be released in 2007, co-authored with Gwynne Conlyn and take the time to pop into further branches of his kitchen shops ‘High-End Kitchens’ in Centurion and Cape Town.

Italian style 3 course menu
Platters of mixed Italian antipasti (starters) including imported genuine parma ham, speciality salami, mortadella, melanzane (brinjals), provolone cheese, olives, pepperoni and mini caprese slices
Or
Starter portion of fusilli pasta tossed in a light creamy smoked salmon sauce tinted with tomato and delicately herbed

Main course
Filletto ritrovo – platters of fillet in a light herb and mustard crust with caramelised sauce béarnaise and rich red wine reduction accompanied by a medley of vegetables, mushrooms and potato croquettes on the side
Or
Freshly filleted linefish grilled and tossed in livornese tomato, caper and black olive sauce on seasonal vegetables and creamy mashed potato
Or
Vegetarian baked melanzane parmigiana of roast bringals and mozzarella in napoletana sauce with a parmesan crust

Dessert
Selection of Italian gelati served in a crisp wafer basket

Ristorante Ritrovo
Shop No 2, Waterkloof Heights Shopping Centre, 103 Club Avenue, Waterkloof Ridge, Pretoria
Call 012 460 4367

Click here for more photographs and a full virtual tour of the restaurant.