Executive Chef Matteo Zamboni

Matteo Zamboni is the Executive Chef at Civico 47 in Sydney’s Paddington, a restaurant that is setting the tone for modern Italian dining in Australia. With a philosophy rooted in Italian heritage and a passion for seasonality and flavour, Matteo has created a dining experience at Civico 47 that blends tradition with innovation, making it one of the most exciting Italian destinations in the country.

His career spans prestigious restaurants both in Australia and internationally, including Ormeggio at the Spit, Pilu at Freshwater, and Jonah’s at Whale Beach as well as La Pergola in Rome, Cracco in Milan, and the three-Michelin-starred Ryugin in Tokyo. He has even had the honour of cooking for the Qatari royal family.

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Matteo has appeared on several popular TV cooking shows, showcasing his skills and sharing his passion for food with a wider audience. His work has also been featured in leading publications such as Good Food, Gourmet Traveller, Delicious, and Broadsheet. Beyond the kitchen, Matteo is committed to giving back to the community, serving as an ambassador for the Miracle Babies Foundation and actively supporting charity initiatives.

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Do you have a favourite time of the year or set of ingredients that you look forward to working with?

I like every season because each brings ingredients at their peak. Spring and summer are exciting with asparagus and stone fruits, while autumn and winter offer incredible starchy vegetables and seafood. It’s hard to pick one because different times bring ingredients I love.

What would you do if you weren’t a chef?

I once thought about becoming a sports journalist because I love sport. But I’m happy with my choice as a chef — I truly love my job.

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Do your personal preferences influence the menu at all?

Not really. I keep an open mind and think about what guests would enjoy rather than what I personally like. A menu should evolve beyond the chef’s personal taste.

What do you think is the most over-hyped food trend currently?

The excessive focus on protein, especially meat. While it’s important in our diet, I think we should embrace meals that don’t always center on protein.

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When are you happiest?

Spending time with my family, cooking for them, and sharing meals with friends brings me the most joy.

When you’re not in the kitchen, where can you be found?

Playing football with my son, going for walks, or spending time with my kids — I try to be with them as much as possible.

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What is your favorite place to dine?

Sydney has endless options. Sometimes I want a simple burger by the sea, other times a fancy dinner with cocktails in the city. It depends on the mood — there’s always something new to explore.

What is your favorite takeaway?

We don’t do a lot of takeaways, but when we do, it’s usually sushi or dumplings. At home, my comfort food is soup — especially chickpea or pumpkin soups.

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What makes the local food scene so exciting?

It’s the multiculturalism and access to quality ingredients. Skilled chefs from around the world bring unique flavors and experiences, making Sydney’s dining scene vibrant.

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 Which is the dish you’ve created that you are most proud of and why?

Our dry-aged duck with mandarin oil and witlof at Civico 47. It looks simple on the plate, but behind it is a lot of work — from the meticulous dry-aging process to selecting only the finest produce. The flavors are refined yet bold, and guests often say it’s the best duck they’ve ever had. That makes me proud.

You’re having friends over for dinner tonight. What’s on the table?

Risotto is my go-to. People often don’t expect to love it but always do. I also experiment with vegetables, seasoning them with oils like pumpkin seed or walnut oil for big flavors.

Name your favourite city that has it all: food, culture, and nightlife.

Tokyo — for the food, culture, and respect for ingredients. You can eat incredibly well at any price point. It’s my favorite city to visit and eat in.

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 Can you tell us more about the cuisine at your restaurant? 

It’s rooted in Italian heritage, focusing on seasonality and flavor. We test every dish carefully, and if it doesn’t highlight the ingredients, we scrap it. Flavor always comes first.

Recipe of Kingfish crudo, colatura, chilli, radish and grape

Author: Matteo Zamboni
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes

Ingredients

350 grams fresh kingfish, skin removed
60 grams colatura
70 grams extra virgin olive oil
30 grams lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 to 2 teaspoon thinly chopped sweet red chilli
4 red radish
50 grams red grape
1⁄4 fennel
1 bunch flat parsley leaves, picked
50 grams vegetable oil
3 sprigs flat parsley, picked for garnish
Dried chilli threads for garnish

Method

1. Slice the kingfish in slices of about 5 millimetres of thickness and place them in a plate in the refrigerator until
needed.
2. Dissolve the brown sugar in the colatura, add the lemon juice, the extra virgin olive oil and the thinly chopped
red sweet chilli. If you want a bit more spiciness you can add more chilli.
3. With the help of a mandoline, slice the radishes very thin. Place them in icy cold water for about 10 minutes
to make them very crunchy. Do the same with the fennel. Cut the grape in quarter and remove the seeds.
4. Blanch the 1 bunch of parsley leaves in boiling salted water, strain and cool down in icy water.
5. Strain the cooked parsley out of the cold water, squeeze it t remove excess liquid and transfer it in a food
processor. Blend with the vegetable oil until very smooth.
6. Place the sliced kingfish in the centre of a sharing plate, stir the colatura dressing and pour it all over the fish.
7. Strain the radishes and fennel and dry them on paper towel. Garnish with sliced radishes, grape, fennel,
parsley leaves and the dried chilli.
8. Finish with a generous glug of the parsley oil around the dish.