Food is more than sustenance – it’s emotional transportation. A warm bowl of pasta can bring you home. A comforting sauce can stir memories of an old friend. A bite of pizza can reignite the thrill of a first date. For your wedding, why not serve dishes that take your guests on a journey through your love story? Join Melbourne Wedding & Bride’s Hannah McDonald as she sits down with Linda Freno, co-owner of Antonio’s Pizza e Cucina, to discuss how thoughtfully curated meals can create moments of connection and emotion – heightening your guests’ senses with a taste of your love.
Antonio and Linda Freno see food as an undeniable love language. Together, they’re on a mission to return Italian cuisine to its roots – celebrating simple, hearty flavours made by hand and perfected through years of passion and tradition. It’s a story they’ve been living for decades. “Antonio was born and raised in Italy and has been working behind a pizza oven since he was fifteen years old. He came to Australia to pursue the dream of a better life. I am born of first generation Italians that raised me in all the traditional ways. After our wedding and honeymoon in Abruzzo, we decided to come back to Australia and share the amazing street food experience we had encountered all over Italy,” Freno says.
From this passion, the seed of an idea grew – a small business dedicated to sharing their love for Italian food with Australia. “We started with a street food pop-up a few nights a week. That soon became popular and was constantly booked for private events. After a while we had to make the hard decision of continuing with the pop-up or focusing on catering.” The pair chose catering, offering competitive packages from as little as $30 per adult, keeping costs low to ensure everyone can experience the luxury of catering. “We haven’t looked back,” she relates.
Photography by Stefan Di Petta.
MORE THAN A MEAL
For Freno, a wedding meal isn’t just food, it’s a sensory experience that triggers memories and emotions. “Honestly, it’s all about the vibe and the love in the room. A wedding meal isn’t just food – it’s sharing plates of pasta while stealing glances at your new husband or wife. It’s guests laughing over pizza and clinking glasses. It’s the smells that remind you of home, the flavours that spark memories, and the way everyone comes together around a table, feeling like family. Food made with love turns a meal into a moment – and on a wedding day, those moments become part of your love story,” she emphasises.
Food has a way of bringing people together sparking conversation, laughter and a sense of ease. There’s no better way to share it than by letting guests serve themselves, inviting spontaneous chats about flavours and creating moments of connection through shared delight. “We always prefer a buffet-style approach to catering so everyone can enjoy what they want and how much they want. There are always enough options to allow guests to go back for seconds and thirds. We absolutely love hearing guests say, ‘have you tried the arancini?’ And the response is always ‘yes, I’ve had three already and going back for more!’” Freno exclaims.
STORIES TO SAVOUR
When the food is delicious and made with love, it turns the reception from just an event into a joyous memory. “Food allows the guests to have something to talk about. Great food gets everyone asking, ‘did you try this or that?’, or ‘this reminds me of Nonna’s recipe’, or ‘I had something similar while on holiday’. Food is a huge contributor to core memories. I always say, the happy couple will always look back at their wedding photos and see the dresses and location pictures. But the guests will always have a memory of the great food and music. We ensure to have your guests smiling and full,” she promises.
Freno herself has memories from weddings that she holds dear, providing a particularly special moment for a happy couple with a post-nuptial treat. “We have a traditional dish called Arrosticini, which is lamb skewers cooked over a charcoal barbeque. It’s a simple, delicate dish. At one wedding, during photos and guest greeting, the bridal party kept running over to grab a few skewers to share with the bride and groom. It was the “mmm” every time they took a bite and the smiles from everyone around that made us so happy to be there, part of that moment, feeding everyone,” she recalls.
BITE-SIZED ADVICE
After catering for countless events, Freno offers some sage advice to those pondering food choices. “Hiring a caterer gives you so much more freedom to create a wedding that feels like you. Venues often have set menus, but with a caterer, you can design food that tells your story – Nonna’s signature dish, the pizza you shared on your first date, or a grazing table that feels like a big family Sunday lunch. Your wedding meal should feel like your love – personal, warm and unforgettable. Plus, a great caterer will bring in all the little details and passion that turn your food into an experience, not just another menu option,” she assures.
Just remember, a wedding is a celebration of you and your love, so kick off your heels, enjoy the moment and don’t sweat the small stuff. “Don’t get weighed down by the little things like if your napkins match the coloured bows or if your fairy lights are hanging properly. Smile, hug, eat, dance and live in the moment,” Freno concludes.