Podcast originally appeared on Deep in the Weeds & YouTube.

Episode overview

In this episode of The Crackling, chef Massimo Mele (Peppina, Grain of the Silos) reflects on heritage, hospitality and the responsibility of making your family proud. Born in Tasmania and raised partly in Naples, Massimo shares how his Italian upbringing, time in major Australian kitchens and eventual return home shaped his food, leadership style and deep respect for producers.

Who is Massimo Mele?

Massimo is the Food Director at Grain of the Silos in Launceston and Culinary Director of Peppina in Hobart, where he champions seasonal Tasmanian produce through an unapologetically Italian lens. After early stints in influential restaurants and on the food festival circuit, he has become a leading voice in Tasmania’s modern food story, connecting diners directly to growers, fishers and artisans.​

Themes in the conversation

• Family and heritage: Massimo talks about growing up between Tasmania and Naples, learning to cook in the family restaurant and kitchen, and how those experiences underpin everything he does today. The episode title, “Making your family proud”, speaks to his drive to honour his parents and nonna through hard work, generosity and simple, soulful food.
• Coming home to Tasmania: After years building his career on the mainland, Massimo describes returning to a transformed Tasmania, now a vibrant food hub with world‑class produce and passionate producers. That homecoming allowed him to slow down, raise his young family and build projects that are rooted in place rather than constant travel.
• Producer‑led cooking: A big focus of the episode is Massimo’s belief that great cooking starts with knowing who grows, farms and fishes your ingredients. At Peppina and Grain of the Silos he designs menus around local seasons and long‑term relationships, telling producer stories on the plate rather than chasing trends.
• Legacy and leadership: Massimo opens up about stepping into leadership roles and what it means to create opportunities for younger chefs while maintaining high standards. He sees Peppina, named for his nonna Giuseppina, as a living legacy of Italian hospitality in Tasmania – a place where guests feel looked after like family.

Why listen

This episode is for anyone interested in the human side of hospitality: the pull of home, the power of family recipes and the pride that comes from representing your community well. It’s also a rich listen for cooks and food lovers who care about provenance, producer relationships and building a career that feels authentic rather than purely ambitious.