Orlando Luciani is the man behind his namesake – a popular Italian restaurant in Wollongong, Da Orlando’s. Owning his own restaurant has been quite a journey… from a village on the Italian coast, to washing dishes in London and barely speaking English – to where he is today. We asked Orlando to share a bit about his life leading up to now. He also told us about his mission to get us to put our mobile phones away and reconnect with each other.
Opportunities and growth through travel and making connections
After finishing high school in Italy, Orlando completed his national service requirement in the army. He returned home to the coastal village of Civitavecchia, between Rome and Florence. The village is known for its massive sea port that regularly hosts cruise ships and other large vessels. Unsure of his next move, a friend that had moved to London suggested he join him for a new experience and according to Orlando, that decision was one of the best he’s ever made. He was surprised at just how many Australians also lived in London and began forming connections that would change the course of his life.
By his own admission, Orlando’s English was pretty bad at the time, so finding employment meant taking on the lowest paying jobs in the hospitality scene. As time went on, he was promoted from one position to another. Dishwasher led to night porter, then food runner, waiter and eventually Orlando found himself working in the kitchen.
Around this time, his friend who had suggested he move to London made the decision to follow his Australian girlfriend to Sydney. Over the next 18 months, Orlando transitioned to working as a barista in a south London gym while he completed studies to become a personal trainer. His mum asked him to reach out to a connection of hers, a man named Johnny, who was visiting London. Orlando obliged happily, showing Johnny good places to eat and being a friendly face in a foreign city. Johnny was grateful for his hospitality and suggested Orlando be sure to contact him when he was back in Italy.
After completing his PT studies, Orlando was unable to secure a job offer as a gym instructor in London and returned to Civitavecchia. Little did he know, Johnny was a really big deal back home – the boss of the entire port (which was the primary employer for the village) and he offered Orlando a job. In Italy, good jobs aren’t always about what you know, but rather who you know. He landed a good job at the port thanks to his connections, but didn’t like the culture of people stepping on each other to get ahead and compete for promotions.
Escaping the 9-5 and following dreams:
As time went on Orlando began to notice that all his friends in Italy were doing the same thing: Get a big loan to buy an expensive car, a 9-5 job to pay for the expensive car, go to the same restaurants, the same nightclubs, do the same things over and over. He started wondering if there was something wrong with him for not wanting that, craving something more, or if there was something wrong with all of them? For most of his friends, they had never lived outside of the area – it was their world, but for Orlando, after having lived in London for a few years, it all seemed so mundane. His discomfort even led him to see a psychologist because he thought there was something wrong with him feeling so dissatisfied with the life he was entering.
One day, Orlando answered a phone call from his friend who had moved to Sydney, telling him he should join him. He had taken over a family business and was running a restaurant with his now wife and had his hands full. Orlando decided to quit his job and told his mother he was moving to Australia and wanted to open a pizza shop.
Everyone thought he was crazy.
Moving to Australia and becoming a pizza chef
The first 6 months in Sydney, Orlando worked long hours helping his friend run the restaurant as the pizza chef, but knew he wanted to pursue his own dreams. His friend didn’t take the news well and unfortunately their long-time friendship was fractured when Orlando made the decision to move on. Now, in a country where he didn’t know anyone, Orlando had to figure out his next move…
First challenge – find a job working side by side with an experienced pizza chef. In Australia, not every pizza shop makes pizza the traditional Italian way, but eventually Orlando was given the opportunity to start working at the iconic Limoncello at Double Bay. The head chef saw how hardworking and committed Orlando was, and he earned his stripes during hectic, adrenaline-filled weekend services, sometimes managing 60 orders on his own! Not only did his experience at Limoncello give him the skills he needed, but it also filled him with the confidence to keep on pursuing his goals.
Opening an Italian restaurant in Wollongong
In 2012, after completing 2 years of cookery school in Australia, an administration error with his visa left Orlando needing to find a business to sponsor him. He was lucky enough to be taken on by Levendi at Dapto and began managing the pizza section there. 3 months later, his permanent residency came through and he continued working with Levendi for a further 18 months. Now aged 35, Orlando’s hunger to run his own business was growing and he followed potential business partnerships and job opportunities back to Sydney. It was while working in Brighton-Le_Sands, that a connection he had made whilst at Levendi came to visit him and suggested a potential venue opening in Wollongong. He teamed up with business partner Rennie and on Valentine’s Day 2015, Da Orlando’s opened its doors on Keira St for the first time. Having retired from teaching, his mother decided to move over and help by working in the kitchen.
Running a restaurant is tough. The first year and a half for Orlando involved working 8am – 11pm, every day. Eight years on, Orlando now has a good team on board to share the workload and plans to clone Da Orlando as a takeaway version at other locations in the Illawarra or even around Kiama.
Orlando’s recommendations for eating out in Wollongong
Hospitality business owners don’t get many nights off, but when Orlando does eat out, he likes to try different things. Some of his favourite local restaurants in Wollongong include Kinn Thai and K.Malu. Breakfast options usually work best for his schedule and usually opts for Lee & Me or Diggies. He recommends Lucia’s by the Sea, Lagoon and Harbourfront if you’re looking for great seafood and a fancier dining experience.
Documenting the journey to becoming a restaurant owner
During Covid, Da Orlando was able to keep running as a takeaway only service and so Orlando spent a lot of time at the restaurant waiting for orders etc. The extra time provided Orlando with an opportunity to start writing down his experiences and the words kept on coming. Over 6 months, he hand wrote over 100 pages and then typed it up to create his book, “Dream Chaser”, which documents his journey from Civitavecchia to Wollongong and the challenges he has overcome along the way.
Orlando wears his heart on his sleeve and he believes everyone should try new experiences, travel and be willing to take risks in order to learn and grow. One of the artworks in the restaurant features the quote, “If you want something you’ve never had, you’ll have to do something you’ve never done”.
Digital Detox: Reimagining dining without mobile phones
Something else he is passionate about is getting people to engage in the present and get off their devices. Seeing people dining out and staring into their phones makes him sad and he wishes diners would share a meal together without the addiction to their technology. Prior to the pandemic, he had the idea of offering a “Digital Detox” night in his restaurant and ran it over 3 nights. The concept was that if diners placed their mobile phones in a sealed cookie jar on the table and managed to not touch their phone for the duration of their meal, they received a complimentary dessert from Da Orlando’s. It proved to be a big hit and he is gearing up to offer Digital Detox again next month.
A staff member will be patrolling as the Digital Marshall to ensure diners are sticking to the rules. Follow Da Orlando’s Instagram to stay up to date with what Orlando has lined up. The next Digital Detox night is planned for Tuesday 7th March. If you’re interested in learning more about digital detox or limiting social media use, Orlando urges parents to watch Simon Sinek’s interview on YouTube , which explains some of the potential issues mobile phone addiction poses for the younger generation. Here at The List, we also recommend reading the book “Stolen Focus”, by Johann Hari.
The majority of Da Orlando’s customers are regulars, with many dining in more than once a week! This consistent patronage is a testament to both the quality of the food and the overall dining experience. For your next shared meal with family or friends, you can make a reservation online via the website.
