If anyone was destined to become a chef, it’s Adam D’Sylva. Growing up in an Indian-Italian family, he was surrounded by amazing food from birth.
“I spent a lot of time in the kitchen as a child,” he says. “My nonna and my zia (auntie) would babysit me, and they were always cooking. They grew everything, like proper Italians. They pretty much had a farm at their house, growing grapes, every vegetable under the sun; they made their own wine and sauces and salami. I just thought everyone lived that way!”
This enviable upbringing ultimately led to D’Sylva becoming one of Australia’s most inspired chefs, responsible for some of Melbourne’s hottest menus, which have spanned modern Asian, Indian, Italian and everything in between.
“I’m lucky to have an understanding of many different cuisines,” he says. “But one thing I’ve learned is to keep each cuisine really honest to what it is, and to focus on that balance of flavour.
“These dishes are the kind that I like to cook at home – some of my favourite go-to Asian recipes; and the burrata with coriander relish and charred roti is a
