Rinaldo “Ronnie” Di Stasio is a restaurateur, vigneron and patron of architecture and the arts. After introducing Melburnians to the possibilities of laneways with the opening of Rosati restaurant in Flinders Lane in 1986, Rinaldo and his eponymous restaurant were among the early brigade to define Melbourne’s brand of hospitality and style.
Rinaldo was one of the first restaurateurs to employ an architect, which he did for the design of Rosati. Works by contemporary Australian artists such as Jenny Watson and Juan Davila featured on the walls of the restaurant.
Rinaldo has recently succeeded in realizing his long-time dream for a new Australian pavilion to be built in Venice. In St Kilda, Rinaldo continues the tradition of the Italian collegamento, combining the heritage of his Neapolitan lineage with the iconic twenty-five-year-old restaurant Cafe Di Stasio. The Allan Powell-designed Di Stasio Villa and Vineyard in the Yarra Valley, which includes a private Bill Henson gallery, produced its first vintage of pinot noir and chardonnay in 1999. The controversial label won several international design awards.
