Emma confesses she is ‘at home’ at Villa Gusto. “ It’s the restaurant that offers me the ideal level of creative space. I enjoying working closely with the owner and sharing the passion for old Italy. The simplicity of the southern Italian dishes is a fascination to me, because they can be a real challenge to create. For instance the sauces must be made to a precise recipe to ensure the wonderful ‘old’ flavours; tastes that are sometimes blurred in many representations of Italian cooking. Cooking is all about produce and a careful hand.

The north east of Victoria offers an endless list of producers and it’s pleasing to know I have access to the best produce there is. It’s as if my past 22 years in kitchens has come to this; an opportunity to cook and offer classic menus to our well travelled guests. Yes...I’m home in this style of cooking".