Head Chef Ben Mitchell

From washing dishes to winning Michelin Stars, Ben Mitchell’s ambitious progression through the restaurant ranks has shaped him into Palermo’s new Head Chef!

Hailing from our sister restaurant Asado, fire-fuelled cooking and premium ingredients are second nature to Ben. But his chef story stretches far beyond that, and began at home in Wales, United Kingdom.

Ben fell in love with cooking at a young age. A fussy eater as a child, he stepped into the kitchen with his mother as she taught him how to prepare simple dishes. By age 15 he was working as a kitchen hand at a local hotel and vineyard, and was instantly hooked on the thrill of cooking. He was drawn to the fast-paced nature, exciting time pressure, and opportunity to construct beautiful creations from raw ingredients. Soon he was 18 and working in a much larger hotel under the guidance of his now life-long inspiration and close friend, Peter Whaley.

At the young age of 19, Ben was crowned the Junior Chef of Wales. This skyrocketed him up the ranks, and before long he was offered a position at Michelin Star venue Ynyshir, the highest awarded restaurant in Wales. Here he fine-tuned his craft under renowned chef Gareth Ward.

Ben’s next adventure was at Moor Hall in Northern England, where he helped earn the restaurant its first Michelin Star. A lifestyle change led him to Melbourne, and he worked at iconic venues including Cumulus, Collins Quarter, Eau De Vie, Neighbourhood Wine and Old Palm Liquor. He soon discovered his love for cooking over coal, wood and fire, and stepped into Asado, where he was propelled from Chef De Partie, to Junior Sous, to Sous Chef. We now welcome him as the head of our kitchen brigade at Palermo.

Ben loves making raw ingredients shine - he believes a chef’s duty is to make something the best version of itself. This mentality extends to his management style: “The best investment a head chef can make is in their team,” he says. “You get what you put in, there is no replacement for hard work. I love that yes, anyone can cook, but you really need the passion to make a successful career.”

When he isn’t behind the pass, Ben loves travelling and spending time with Chef, his pet Jack Russell. His work ethic, dedication and natural talent bring an exciting edge to Palermo.