Danny Russo, a multifaceted, dynamic and innovative chef and soul.
The Love for cooking was born as he was a child, making growing the passion which has turned into a full time career that has permitted him to travel all around the world and to work for restaurants and hotels in China, India, Middle East, United States and of course in Europe.
He has been our testimonial for more than 10 years, since the first time he used a Baron Professional machine in a kitchen.
Danny Russo in his Sala Restaurant’s kitchen
In his test kitchen, where he trains dozens of chefs from all over the world, who then bring their experience to their future catering realities in the horeca world, he uses only Baron Professional machines, which, to him, are synonymous with practicality, functionality, pragmatism, methodology and are respectful the characteristics of each dish.
Russolini, his consultancy group that transforms ideas into reality, provides tailor-made catering services that make the difference on customer’s offer and generate lasting and valuable service satisfaction. Like Baron Professional kitchens, that always guarantee solidity, reliability and flexibility to meet the needs of the most demanding chefs. The Russolini consulting philosophy, based on the understanding of the needs and aspirations of its customers, is therefore in perfect harmony with the possinility of customization in the realizing of Baron professional kitchens.
Sala by night
Sala Restaurant
At his Sala restaurant, located in Sydney’s Bay, Jones Bay Warf, with his group of 12 chefs trained in his school, guest-packed events are held every day and with his Baron kitchen, which Danny himself considers the Ferrari of kitchens, he is able to cook cavatelli with the pasta cooker in seven minutes, serving 110 guests at the same time and leaving them breathless.
The great strength of Baron equipments, as Danny testifies, is to prepare each dish in a very short time, respecting its organoleptic characteristics, while always maintaining the same quality in the result.
The EVO high-yield fryer has works gently, allowing to create the refined dishes of the Italian cuisine, in a short time with the same crunchiness and delicacy; this makes the difference in a kitchen where quality and quantity must go hand in hand.
Beside the suid ink Tortellini, its specialty of the moment is the doughnut: thanks to its the temperature control combined with the time control, fundamental parameters in the Evo fryer, the result will never be burnt, but will always be crunchy and golden to perfection.
“Nothing to hide” Our kitchen is open because our guests are aware of what good food, prepared with respect, quality and professionalism, is; for this reason, they must be able to see what and how we cook.”
Open kitchen by night
The tradition of his Italian origins finds expression in his modern Italian cuisine, passing through his natural propensity for innovation. A perfect union with the production philosophy of Baron Professional kitchens, reliable by tradition and innovative by choice, by responding daily to new kitchen trends.
Prizes and awards
Danny has been awarderd both with a chefs hat so as “Best Formal Italian Restaurant” at the Restaurant and Catering Association Awards for three consecutive years by L’Unico Restaurant (Balmain, Sydney).
Then, at Lo Studio a Sydney Surry Hills has been awarderd with a chefs hat , “Best Italian restaurant” e “Best new national restaurant”, elevating the restaurant to one of Sydney’s leading Italian restaurants.
Lo Studio has been also nominated in the list “Hot Tables” of Conde Nast Traveler among an elite group of 82 new restaurants worldwild, idendified as having a unique confluence of best food, excellent service and sophisticated style.
The magazine has described Danny as “one of the most inventive chefs of Sydney “ wha has developped a style better descibed as New Italian-Australian fusion.
Danny has been moreover published twice on the New York Times, beside having received enthusiastic reviews on Vogue Entertaining and Travel, Sydney Morning Herald, Time Out, The Daily Telegraph and The (Sydney) Magazine.
Pat Nourse di Gourmet Traveller has recently described Danny’s food as ” one of the most charming food in Sydney”, with The Beresford which has “the advantage in terms of pure cooking experience”. The aubergines chocolate Danny’s dessert, “chocolate aubergines”,has won the award Callebaut chocolate dessert of the year di Open House. His consulting table by The Old Library, in the suburb of the Cronulla beach, Sydney, has gained the recognition at the new Terry Durack beach resort in The Sydney Morning Herald, Simon Thomsen on The Daily Telegraph and Elizabeth Meryment onThe Sunday Telegraph in a week. Misto Restaurant – 2001/2005 – One of the 10 best Sydney restaurants 1996L’Unico Restaurant – 2001/2005 award as 1 Chefs Hat SMH – Award Young Chef to Watch 2002 SMHBest Formal Italian 2002/2003/2004 Restaurant & Catering AwardsLo Studio – 2006 Award 1 Chefs Hat SMH – Best Formal Italian Restaurant – Restaurant & Catering Awards – New national restaurant of the year – Restaurant & Catering Awards – Condé Nast Top 80 new reastaurants worldwideThe Beresford Hotel – 2008/2009 Award 1 Chefs Hat SMH – New restaurant SMH most hot
Hottest New Restaurant Gourmet traveller 2009 – New York Times 2009The Old Library – 2012 Best Italian seafood restaurant Miglior – Restaurants and catering association. The most trendy summer restaurant – Daily TelegraphThe Laneway Lounge – 2014 Best new bar – Bar Magazine _ The best smallest dishes – WA Herald
The crew
Danny’s advice for a new chef
At first, it is necessesary to know the story, not only regarding the plate or the technic, but to have a certain basic knowledge of the kitchen, of the ingredients and of the taste.
Sensitivity and creativity are fundamental to the cause, but all this should be directed by the knowhow and the balance sense. The chefs, who excels are those with the knowhow and the sensitivity.
” Stay focused on what is important, cooking and taking care of your customers. Don’t think you’re a rock star chef – but you should take care and think about your customers, staff, take care of the dishes, have a full restaurant and be a hard working chef. The rest will come. Look at what is happening in the trend of this field, but do not run after each new trend,since some of them have no commercial sense. Focus on your food style and philosophy and definitely push the boundaries – now is not the time to play . Put everything out and try. You never know what can happen.”
Cit. Danny Russo