Tony Nicolini

crediti: Brambilla - Serrani

crediti: Brambilla - Serrani

D.O.C.

295 Drummond Street
Carlton (Melbourne, Australia)
t: +61.03.93472998

Other locations also in Carlton, Albert Park and Mornington

Some people choose their jobs, some others are born into them. Tony Nicolini grew up among flour and tomato sauce in his father’s pizzeria. The latter emigrated from Abruzzo to Australia in 1969 and since a kid Tony experienced the most genuine Italian hospitality. A man between two cultures. Nicolini has a mission: getting Italian gastronomy known down under and reuniting the two worlds he feels he belongs to. After learning the ropes in his father’s restaurant and a degree in marketing, in 1997 he opened his first restaurant, a pizzeria with sound traditional foundations but also a remarkable creative vein and the courage of going beyond and experimenting. Only two years later The Age Epicure crowned him as the King of Pizza and since then Nicolini’s career has never stopped, always in search of the perfect pizza experience.

Starting as a humble small-town pizzeria, today the D.O.C. Group is a brand representing Italian modern gastronomy and includes five restaurants, that is to say three pizzerias and mozzarella bars, an espresso and pasta bar and a shop selling the finest products Nicolini personally chooses during his frequent trips to Italy. Even contemporary chefs such as Bottura and Uliassi have inspired the pizza-chef and entrepreneur to create new and dynamic menus that represent the requests of a people, the Australians, who pay more and more attention to diet and health.

Nicolini’s mission is that of an aoidos and teacher with over 150 employees, mostly Italians, from young students to expert professionals, whom he trains personally perhaps thinking of an academy in the future. Today he’s mostly focused on the development of the D.O.C. Group brand.He’s received numerous awards and acknowledgements: recommended in 2015 at n. 43 of the best culinary experiences around the world by Monocle Magazine, mentioned every year in the The Good Food guide and winner of the 2012 “best visual identity” at the Eat, Drink, Design Awards.

Has participated in

Identità Milano


by

Valeria Senigaglia

Born in 1985, marine biologist and sustainability and cooking enthusiast. After living in many places, from NY to the Philippines, she returned to Italy and worked in communication as a freelance journalist. Now she lives in Australia