Mr Mirko Vinci has recently joined Grand Copthorne Waterfront as Head Chef of Grissini. He hails from the Apulia region in Southern Italy, which borders the Adriatic Sea and is popular for its rich archaeological history and olive trees.

The 29-year-old joins with over 15 years of culinary experience, having graduated from a culinary school in his hometown region and honed his skills working in restaurants alongside Michelin-starred chefs in Milan, London and Singapore.

When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
Every weekend while I was growing up, my mum and grandma would prepare Sunday lunches for the family. It was always a big hearty meal that helped our family to bond. That was what first sparked my interest in cooking, as I always looked forward to helping out in the kitchen. 

When I was 14 years old, I started helping out in the kitchen of a small restaurant during the summer holidays. Since then, I decided to pursue my passion and career as a chef.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I often draw inspiration from travelling and seeing the world. I’m very much an outdoor person, and I like to swim, dive, and travel to visit remote places. I think this helps my ability to draw on influences around the world and to give my own spin to traditional recipes from around the world.

I like travelling to Japan and Bali, and I like how the Japanese and Balinese cuisines really showcase the freshness of ingredients that are available there. My travels there have also led me to create some fusion dishes such as scallop carpaccio with dashi dressing (thinly sliced raw scallops with dressing made with fish stock) kushikatsu tofu (deep-fried bean curd) with watercress mousse and black olives.

Having worked in Milan, London and Singapore, I’ve been exposed to Italian, French and Asian cuisines. I hope to visit Australia and the Americas and learn more about their cultures and cuisines!

What is your favourite food?
I really enjoy homemade recipes of orecchiette with broccoli rabe and slow-cooked beef ragu that I enjoyed during my childhood. Orecchiette is a popular type of pasta that’s used in my hometown. In Italian, it means ‘small ear’, which is what the pasta is shaped like.

Another dish I like and grew up with is eggplant parmigiana. It’s a traditional Italian dish that’s made with eggplant, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, tomato sauce, fresh basil, mixed leaves, pearl tomatoes and white balsamic. If you would like to try this exquisitely created creation, I whip up this dish for my special omakase menu at Grissini!

Favourite kitchen equipment or gadget?
Japanese chef knives. They are very precise and easy to work with.

Favourite ingredients to cook with?
I enjoy cooking with seafood from the Mediterranean Sea. The freshness of the ingredients gives ample room to design and create the dish.

What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
I can’t take spicy food very well so I enjoy non-spicy Asian foods like fried beehoon, a type of thin rice noodles, fried rice, and beef horfun, a dish with stir-fried beef and flat rice noodles.

I’m not a fan of foods like fish balls and fishcakes. I much prefer my seafood fresh!

What do you love most about being a chef?
I love that I am always in contact with people. I like to build relationships with the team I am working with and the guests who dine with us.

I hope that working at Grissini, I will be able to showcase the things I have learned in the past through our upcoming culinary creations. I hope I will be a positive impact on the team as well, to train them to the best of my ability and to share the teachings I’ve learnt.

What words of advice do you have for aspiring chefs?
Have a positive mindset and a passion to learn! The hardest day in the kitchen is not a punishment but an important lesson for the future.