About us
When the Mastrantonio brand was founded in 1996, it was the vision of the founders, Gianni Mariano and Paolo Scalla, to bring the traditions and values of Italian cuisine to the South African market. At their core, for Gianni and Paolo, the principles of the Italian table are simple: honour the ingredients, balance of flavour, and honesty of the dish.
As members of the Italian diaspora in South Africa, this vision was in many ways fuelled by the classic recipes passed down from their mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles and grandparents – a family affair where the spirit of their descendants lives on through the shared experience of cooking, passing recipes on to loved ones, and spending time around the table. This deep-rooted culture continues to shape everything we do.
In Italian, the word mestiere is often used to describe one’s line of work. However, there is a certain dignity to mestiere that cannot be fully translated. At Mastrantonio, we see food services as our mestiere – preparing the highest quality food and passionately serving customers as our craft.
“where food and good living go hand in hand”
Over the past 27 years, Mastrantonio has stayed true to its roots while constantly evolving. Through innovation, we’ve expanded into new markets, developed dynamic sub-brands, and forged strong partnerships across the food industry. Whether it’s fine dining or a grab-and-go meal, our commitment is unwavering: to bring excellence to the table—always.
