2010 Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year.
2010 Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year, Mitchell Orr was born and raised in the western suburbs of Sydney. Knowing early in his teenage years that professional cooking was what he wanted to do with his life, Mitchell’s trajectory has landed him on the restaurant industry’s list as one to watch.
Beginning his career in a pub in Parramatta, Mitchell has since cut his teeth in some of Sydney’s highest profile kitchens including Lo Studio, Pello, Pilu at Freshwater, The Beresford and Sepia.
His time with iconic Italian Australian chefs such as Giovanni Pilu may have given him a solid grounding in classic Italian technique, but his style isn’t bound by tradition. Mitchell’s modern approach, light touch and honed technique gives Italian flavours a whole new outlook.
Awarded the 2010 Good Food Guide Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year, this industry-voted achievement recognises young chefs who show clear passion and talent for their craft. He adds his name to a list of previous winners that includes Daniel Puskas (Sepia), Phil Wood (Rockpool) and Dan Hong (Lotus). The challenge is now on to prove he can fill those large shoes.
The Young Chef award will take Mitchell to the USA and Europe later this year, including a stint at Italy’s famous Osteria Francescana to eat, learn and absorb all he can and bring these experiences back to share with the Sydney dining scene.
