It's a long way from fine dining to running a pizzeria but that's the latest career move from the team who ran Ashcrofts in Blackheath for 14 years.
Front-of-house expert Mary-Jane Craig and her partner, chef Corinne Evatt, have just opened La Famiglia Bar and Pizzeria in Wentworth Falls.
After their long stint at Ashcrofts, where they gathered many accolades including multiple SMH Good Food Guide hats, the pair sold the business last October and gave themselves a break. But when the space at Wentworth Falls came up, they jumped at the chance to do something "more fun", said Ms Craig.
La Famiglia Bar and Pizzeria opened last week after a total refurbishment, offering both eat-in and takeaway pizzas with the kind of flourish Ms Evatt was renowned for in the Ashcrofts kitchen.
So the toppings on offer include blackened red peppers, maple baked pineapple, pork crackling, balsamic onions and buffalo milk mozzarella.
"It's a little bit more casual and relaxed," said Ms Craig. "We wanted to some something more financially accessible to people but still offering them a classy environment."
And the space does ooze class, with stylish wooden benches and a couple of major artworks by husband and wife artists Cynthia Breusch and Christopher McVinish.
"We loved doing fine dining," Ms Craig said. "We did it for 14 years and we'd achieved all we wanted to there. We just wanted to do something a bit more fun."
La Famiglia is open Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm. It is fully licensed. Limited space for dining in means they can't take bookings except for groups of eight or more. Details and menus at www.lafamigliapizza.com.au.
