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Top Billing Dines At Sandtons Hottest Italian Restaurant
Top Billing Wines & Dines At Sandton's Hottest Italian Spot - Gemelli.
If you know the name Alessandro Khojane then you’re sure to be familiar with this “Italian Stallion” ‘s restaurant Gemelli and the fact that you have to wait up to a month for a reservation. Top Billing & presenter Jonathan Boynton-lee were lucky enough to score a table at this popular Sandton spot.
Alessandro's father was a diplomat who was based in Italy and it was here that the foundations for his trattoria in Bryanston were born. His entire family relocated to Rome where they spent many years hosting and entertaining guests at lavish dinner parties.
It was Alessandro's upbringing that had a pivotal impact on his life and his passion for food and his restaurant is a true testament and tribute to the homely, Italian cooking experience.
Upon entering Gemelli, you’re immediately greeted by the stunning ambience. Parts of the space are a mix of factory-style/industrial window panes and unique furniture pieces that bare an almost Eastern minimalism, however, none of the design elements ever overpower the cuisine.
The industrial building where Gemelli has laid its roots was an old bicycle shop when Alessandro found it. The aged metals & leather of the previous designs were a hit from the start but once the word got out that this was the new Italian spot to dine at Alessandro had to call in the help of interior designer Kamo Rakharebe to help them expand, in style.
Gemelli’s acclaim can be seen by the hundreds of positive reviews found scattered on the web on sites such as TripAdvisor and Eat Out. This trattoria is consistently praised for their portion sizes and has scored a ninety percent rating on TripAdvisor.
Alessandro believes firmly that time is a key ingredient to decadent dining. He has ensured that his chefs understand the value that time plays in releasing the full flavours of Italian cuisine.
A valuable lesson that Alessandro lives by is the fact that if a team doesn’t get along, one will taste it in the food. His key focus thus is growing his team which he considers to be his restaurant’s chief investment.
In a nutshell, Gemelli is as good as its reputation suggests, perhaps even better!
