Chef Drew Nocente goes Italian-Australian with his new restaurant Cenzo

The Australian chef starts a new chapter that pays homage to his heritage after running Salted & Hung for six years.

By Kenneth SZ Goh / 28 Oct 2022

Australian Cuisine, Cenzo, Food, Italian Cuisine, Restaurants

Share this article

After championing nose-to-tail and minimal-waste dining, Chef Drew Nocente is returning to his Italian-Australian roots at his upcoming restaurant, Cenzo, which opens in Club Street on 7 November.

Nocente ran Salted and Hung restaurant for six years, which was one of the earlier restaurants in Singapore that spotlighted nose-to-tail dining, and also featured a minimal-waste menu in the restaurant’s later years before it shuttered in June this year.

On the cuisine at Cenzo, Nocente shares with The Peak: “It will be putting together traditional Italian flavours in a modern Australian style. Doing something closer to my roots feels like the natural thing for me to do.”

Paying homage to his father

Cenzo

1/2

The Queensland native is embedding his family’s heritage into the restaurant, starting with the name “Cenzo”, which is part of his father’s name, Vincenzo, who played an integral part in sparking his interest in food.

Growing up in his family’s apple orchard in Queensland, Nocente was exposed to the farm-to-market concept from an early age, learning the ropes from his father, who worked with farmers and producers. He also learned charcuterie-making and cultivated a respect for produce from his father.

On closing Salted & Hung, Nocente says: “I am very proud of what we had accomplished with the restaurant — we helped change some mindsets, and did a lot to push sustainability in our industry. It was just time to close this chapter.”

An Italian-Australian feast

Cenzo

2/2

At Cenzo, Nocente wants to present a slice of convivial gatherings that have food for sharing in an easy-going and merry atmosphere.

He says: “The inspiration behind the dishes are flavours I love to eat and cook. The whole menu is about cooking from the heart and having fun with ingredients and flavours.”

Signature dishes include Raw blue prawns, fermented prawn oil and wakame seaweed, which is his interpretation of the classic Tuna Crudo with an Asian twist.

Porchetta, one of his popular dishes at Salted & Hung, will make a comeback. The quick-aged pork belly is slathered with an Italian spice and herb marinade, before being tightly rolled and slow-roasted for three hours to produce a glorious crispy crackling. The pork is served with a homemade pineapple chilli jam and fresh celeriac slaw.

Pasta such as caserecci and bucatini will be made in-house. The latter will be served with spanner crab and smoked trout roe. Also made in-house are the cannolis, which are loaded with yuzu ricotta filling and topped with pistachio crumb.

Cenzo, which occupies the first level of a heritage shophouse, is run by homegrown restaurant group AC Concepts that is founded by Spanish Chef Jose Alonso and entrepreneur Alex Chua. The group runs Spanish restaurants Kulto and Lumbre, and Kilo Kitchen & Bar.

Related: 3 Aussie-style cafes in Singapore for wholesome meals

Australian Cuisine, Cenzo, Food, Italian Cuisine, Restaurants