He's got a passion for all things food.
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Zig Zag Motel Switchback Restaurant head chef Frank Pantano is the mastermind behind the delicious meals you've most likely tantalized your taste buds with.
Thanks to his Italian background, Mr Pantano has loved cooking since he was a kid.
"I have always had an interest in food.
"I use to walk in my lounge room and there'd be gnocchi or pasta drying on the table.
"It wasn't your average lounge room, I use to watch my father and mother cook all the time and I used to get involved," he said.
Mr Pantano said he started working in kitchens when he was 16 and from that he knew cooking was a career path he wanted to take.
He gained an apprenticeship and began working in various restaurants around Bathurst, Orange and Lithgow.
"I grew up in Lithgow but pretty much did my career in Bathurst, I started my apprenticeship in Bathurst and from there I did move around a bit as a young apprentice just to gain as much knowledge from as many different chefs as I could," he said.
Mr Pantano had his first head chef role at Sasha's Restaurant in Bathurst, he then went onto The Family Hotel where he started and ran an Italian restaurant 'La Famiglia', for six years before taking a break.
"I left cheffing for awhile because I had a young family and that's when I started getting involved in coffees and wines, still in hospitality," he said.
"I try to master everything I get into."
Two years later he took up a head chef role at Bathurst RSL Club for a few years before he took over the restaurant at Bathurst Golf Club.
"Bathurst Golf Club were looking for someone to come and take over their restaurant and that was sort of my first business and from there we started Pantano's Cuisine," he said.
Mr Pantano said he was later approached by GT Bar and Grill to go into shares to form what is today known as, Pantano's Bar and Grill.
"I was there for a long time and I think when you start becoming repetitive you kind of lose interest in food.
"Eventually I got out and started working at cafes all around Bathurst which was a good experience."
After doing his stint in Bathurst, Mr Pantano was on his way to Sydney but stopped home in Lithgow for awhile.
That's how I describe my food, it's Italian, Mediterranean with a touch of myself in it.
- Frank Pantano
"I wanted time off but I was getting bored so I started doing some casual work at the Zig Zag.
"Eventually I took over as head chef and have been here for almost five years," he said.
Mr Pantano said when he first started at the Zig Zag a lot of locals didn't know the restaurant was open to the public.
"They mainly thought it was for motel guests but I'm glad people know we are here for everyone in town," he said.
He said when someone compliments his food at the Zig Zag it makes him feel accomplished.
"It makes you feel good, like you've achieved something, you're here all day for hours on end preparing and it literally only takes 15 minutes for them to eat it and if they're satisfied then I'm very happy.
"It gives me a little buzz and I try to keep that level," he said.
Mr Pantano said when it came to serving a dish presentation was key.
"People eat with their eyes, they look at it, smell it and then they taste it," he said.
He said personality could also be reflected through food.
"Your personality is reflected through food. I think as a chef you can go to a restaurant and see a plate of food and you can tell straight away what the chef is like," he said.
Mr Pantano said he has always tried to stick with his heritage when it comes to setting a menu and making new dishes.
"That's how I describe my food, it's Italian, Mediterranean with a touch of myself in it," he said.
"You go with what you know, what you're brought up with and the food you love."
"I don't know why I'm so passionate about it [food], you get a few different ingredients and you turn it into something good, tasteful, nice and enjoyable."
Mr Pantano said in terms of running a kitchen smoothly it was important to be prepared.
"I'm here from 10.30am. I butcher the meat, make my own sauces, everything is made in house.
"It's a lot of work, I like to make sure everything is perfect so that when it comes to service it's a matter of cooking, putting things together and sending it out.
"If you're not prepped for service you're going to fail," he said.
He said being a chef was a demanding job but it was his passion for food that kept him motivated.
"It takes time and experience to be able to control a kitchen and you do have bad days but you just have to flick a switch and pump it out.
"On my days off all I do is cook, I love it, I do it every day of the week," he said.
The Zig Zag Motel will be undergoing renovations in the near future and will be renaming their restaurant.
Mr Pantano said it will be more of an Italian influence and there will be fresh pizzas daily.
"It's a great venture that's going to happen soon, it's going to be a good little restaurant, I want everyone to come and try us out," he said.
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