Watching celebrity chefs Giada de Laurentiis and Jamie Oliver on TV growing up is what inspired Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca’s new head chef Samantha Medeiros to join the food industry.

“When I entered the hospitality industry, I truly thought it would be very much like what I saw on television, but while chefs have become famous, it’s safe to say restaurants were nothing like what I saw on the screen,” the Canadian chef tells Broadsheet.

Medeiros fell for the industry regardless and her career has taken her to France, Hong Kong and now Melbourne. Prior to joining Rocco’s last month, she worked as a sous chef at both Prince Dining Room and Bar Lourinha.

We think you might like Access. For $12 a month, join our membership program to stay in the know.

SIGN UP

At Rocco’s, she’s cooking food she really connects with. “I don’t know why, but I somehow always end up gravitating towards Italian food and love that Rocco’s has that backbone, but with a creative and interesting twist.”

We took five minutes to get to know the chef.

What brings you to Melbourne?
I love having a career with pathways to work in almost any country – there are restaurants everywhere. I worked in three different countries prior to moving to Australia in search of a place with a better work-life balance. While working in Hong Kong, everyone spoke so highly about the conditions in Australia – so much so, it sounded make-believe – so my partner, who is a pastry chef and bartender, and I moved here to see if it was true.

What are your ambitions for Rocco’s and for your career?
There was also this moment in my interview process when I instantly knew this was going to be the right choice; it was when I realised this was a company that promotes and supports women in the industry. For me, it’s much easier to envision myself in those positions when there are already women in those roles as an example. I’m excited to work alongside such a talented team, and for all these new and exciting opportunities. My core career value is first and foremost: shake in, shake out. If you don’t know what that means, it’s simply “say hello, and say goodbye” when you enter a space. As a chef, you often work alongside your team for more hours than you get to see your friends and family, and while we may not be able to catch up every day, the least we can do is say hello and goodbye to each other.

Hand in hand with that, I believe in and strive to create a space that your team feels comfortable and [is] happy to come to work in. Since having a handful of terrible mentors, who always lead by instilling fear in the team, my goal has always been to create a better environment for my cooks to learn and grow. While a lot of that comes from leading by example, the other half of it comes from ensuring there are systems in place. I don’t believe in having people believe they’re bad at something, or simply waste time in a day because a kitchen hasn’t been set up for success: improper training, unclear or lack of recipes, poorly organised, etc. With proper organisation and a calm work environment, you can improve productivity and help limit the chaos that is restaurants.

What is the kitchen set-up at Rocco’s like?
It’s an open style kitchen, so if you’re sitting by the pass, it’s dinner and a show. You get to see the chefs conduct service, do prep, and interact throughout your meal, which opens a window to what we do in the kitchen.

I love working in open kitchens – being able to interact with the guests and see honest reactions in real-time. It’s possibly the only time we as chefs get to have that.

What are you excited to bring to the menu at Rocco’s?
I’m really excited about the fruit and veg seasons here in Victoria. Back home in Ontario, our seasons are really short so we never get to enjoy certain ingredients for long. I’m also looking forward to getting to play around with some sandwich specials, as it’s not something I’ve had the opportunity to do in the past.

Will you be keeping the meatball sub on the menu?
There is a reason why the meatball sub is our namesake – it’s truly an incredible sandwich. Sometimes we can get a little numb to it from the sheer number of subs we make, but I try to eat one every once in a while to remind myself that yes, it truly is that good. Don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere.