A chef and former drummer who catered for England’s cricket team and worked with Lidl is opening a new Italian small plate and wood-fired pizza restaurant in Cupar.
Al Roberto, 38, is taking over former cafe and bistro The Press on the town’s George Inn Pend.
The restaurant, Osteria, will open in three phases and offer freshly made wood-fired pizza, stuzzichini (Italian small plates), and eventually a group tasting menu.
Al grew up in Leeds and worked in his Sicilian dad Mimmo’s restaurant from the age of eight.
Al ‘wanted to be a rockstar’ and toured with bands worldwide before becoming chef
However, he says he “wanted to be a rockstar” and, after turning 18, spent 10 years away from cooking as he worked as a session drummer with bands worldwide.
It was only when he moved back to the UK after a period in Dubai that he returned to the kitchen.
Since then he has worked in “some of the country’s best restaurants” and set up his own private dining and events catering business, Simmer Kitchen.
Al relocated to Cupar in April 2024 with his wife Heather, 38, and sons Sebastian, 17, Louis, 13, and Alexander, 8.
He told The Courier: “I was looking for a kitchen to run Simmer Kitchen from but when The Press came up I looked around inside and the restaurant just has something about it.
“I had a restaurant before and I did think ‘do I want that again?’
“I then thought the only way it is going to work is if it is something small.
“If I was going to do it it would have to be something different and authentic.
New Cupar restaurant to offer tasting menu and Italian small plates
“We will have wood-fired pizzas and a small menu with dishes that change weekly – they will be Italian but Scottish produce-led.
“I would call it – not tapas because I hate that word – but stuzzi, it’s that style.
“You can have some pizza, a plate of ragu, something different to try.
“Then upstairs will be a tasting menu – we will have 12 seats together and everyone eats at the same time.
“It will bring people together – that will be the third phase as we are doing it in sections.
“Then on top of that I do private dining and food demonstrations at festivals.”
Al says his oldest son Sebastian will help in the kitchen while Louis, who often takes part in food demonstrations at festivals, will work front of house.
The family joined Al’s cousin Patricia Cromar in Fife. Her husband, Colin, once ran St Andrews fish and chip shops Cromars and Tailend.
Al added: “We lived in the city for such a long time and it was either come here or move abroad.
“It is going to be an exciting year.
“We have been so blessed to come to Cupar. People are really excited.
Chef Al says ‘you will never see’ spaghetti bolognese on Osteria menu
“A lot of people will expect things like spaghetti bolognese at an Italian restaurant but you will never see that on my menu.
“There will be authentic dishes you have never tried before.
“We will keep everything small and done right – it will be quality not quantity.
“I would love people to at least try it and see what they feel like and make their own decision.
“Not trying it and then dismissing it is something I hope people don’t do.
“It is not going to be too outrageous or out-of-the-box.”
Al also hopes to incorporate Pilot Light – a campaign to support hospitality workers’ mental health – in his new venture.
He said: “The industry is changing, when I started out I was being shouted at all the time.
“But it is changing and I think people like to work with me because I am chill and understand it.”
Osteria will serve wood-fired pizza Thursday to Saturday this week from 5pm until 9.30pm.
Al says customers should check the website and social media for future opening hours.
He hopes the full restaurant will open in February.
The Press announced its closure in July 2024 after seven years.
Conversation