Anthony Perrone
(Owner / Operator)

HOSPITALITY EXCELLENCE PERSONIFIED

My journey was destined with both of my parents immigrating to Melbourne, Australia from Sicily in southern Italy during the 1950s. The island of Sicily is situated right at the toe of the Italian boot and is known for its culturally diverse cuisine featuring Greek, Spanish, French and Arab influences. Growing up with this sensory immersion and love for quality food, coffee, culture and warm European hospitality, I decided at the end of secondary school to move to Florence, Italy, where I studied Italian language, art, history and the art of authentic Italian cooking. It was during this time that my deep passion and appreciation for Italian culture was truly ignited; a profound connection to the language, food, fashion, style, and of course – the true art of hospitality, which can only come from the heart!

Returning to Melbourne, I continued to contribute to the family business, and it wasn’t until several years later – after becoming a qualified Chartered Accountant working for a large Accounting firm, and after successfully starting my own first business in retail during the 1990s – that I was reunited with my passion for hospitality. Once again, I took the opportunity to explore the sophistication of European hospitality. It was the early 2000s when I moved to southern Germany, initially with the intention to learn the art of making artisan Italian gelato. While I did pursue gelato making for some time, I ultimately ended up establishing a very successful hospitality venue. This included an Italian cuisine restaurant and a popular cocktail bar & lounge on the renowned and exclusive Lake Starnberg, 25 kilometres south of Munich – a special part of Germany, often referred to as the “German French Riviera”, or even “the most northern region of Italy”.

Eventually, after 16 successful years in southern Germany, it was time for me to return to home turf in 2016. Having gained invaluable experience and a wealth of hospitality industry knowledge, I felt compelled to create a piece of European hospitality ambience here in Melbourne. I wanted Melburnians to experience and feel about hospitality the way I have during my time in Europe. Inspired by this notion, Hospitality on Tap was born.