Local Windsor Restaurant Cricca, until recently a local culinary secret, has been awarded its first coveted Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide hat. It's the first restaurant in Windsor to earn a hat, and owner Alessio Nogarotto couldn't be more pleased as he took time out of his busy day to speak to the Hawkesbury Post.

Nogarotto's culinary journey began at a young age, growing up in a family of restaurateurs. He credits his upbringing as being integral to his success. "My Dad's a chef with a restaurant down at Berowra Waters. My mum teaches cookery, and she's also a chef. And my older brother is a chef. There were always food influences in the household. We always were cooking every single night," he told HP.

"From a young age, I remember being really, really keen to just get into the restaurant," Nogarotto explained. "I used to come in and put my jacket on, and maybe I caused more of a nuisance than I did help." At 12, he began working in the family restaurant, washing dishes and working through the ranks. 

While the Berowra Waters restaurant was a regular feature in the SMH Good Food Guide, Alessio is the first in the family to earn a coveted hat. His family couldn't be more delighted - even waiting for him outside the Good Food Guide awards ceremony to hear the fantastic news. "They were at the Opera House waiting for us as soon as we stepped out of the award night, lots of hugs and kisses."

Cricca, run by Nagarotto and his business partner, Chef Giles Gabutina, opened three years ago, with a goal to create a dining experience that celebrated the Hawkesbury region's rich agricultural heritage while putting a modern spin on traditional Italian cuisine.

"We call our food Italian-ish because it's based on Italian food, but we don't want to be barred or restrained by tradition. Everyone has a different idea of what tradition is," Nogarotto explained. 

Everything on the menu, besides pasta, is cooked in their wood-fired oven or on a wood grill, which is an integral part of their cooking style and identity. The restaurant is small and intimate; diners can sit at tables or at the bar and watch the team creating their magic.

Both Nagarotto and Gabutina have an impressive pedigree, having worked in some of Sydney's most prestigious restaurants, including Bentley Restaurant and Bar, Quay and Tetsuya, as well as both sharing a multicultural heritage, so it's understandable they wouldn't want to feel too restrained with their culinary influences. 

Cricca is passionate about sourcing local ingredients. "We used to go to the Sydney Markets every week, and then we found out that they're all based around us anyway," Nogarotto said. "We source our honey from a local beekeeper, our herbs from Glenorie, and our meat from a family business in Galston, as well as going on "Scibbies" runs up to Scibberas Fresh for fresh vegetables."

Nogarotto sees Cricca's success as a stepping stone to making Windsor a culinary destination. He hopes Cricca's success will inspire others to see the potential in Windsor and the surrounding Hawkesbury region. "We want to be a dining destination," he said. "We want to show locals that you don't have to go to the city anymore to have an occasion or a nice meal. But we also want to attract people, local people, and business people to see the potential in Windsor and how much beauty and heritage there is in our area. The more restaurants we have here in Windsor, the more nightlife we can build, and the more we see Windsor as a dining destination." 

"We have just as much heritage in Windsor as the Rocks does in Sydney. We should be opening up new places and letting people see us as a destination to come to as well."

When asked what was next, Alessio prioritised the team at Cricca, but also their ambition to maintain their first SMH Hat and aim for another in the not-too-distant future. "I just want to take care of my team, make sure that they have steady jobs and pay them well. I want to keep being busy. I think that's important. Some of the most successful restaurants in the world are struggling to get butts on seats. My biggest goal is to keep doing what we're doing. Do it well, and continually be creative with my team," he said modestly, before adding, "Don't get me wrong, it (a second hat) would be a huge goal, and we strive to be better every day. Maybe one day down the line, a good goal would be two."

With its first SMH hat in hand, Cricca is poised to be a local secret no longer, showcasing the best of Hawkesbury's culinary landscape to diners across Sydney and inspiring people to explore the rich tapestry that makes up this historic region.

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