A winning combination
Shifting a few kilometres down the road from Martinborough to Greytown, offers new opportunities for Pinocchio owners, Paul and Elly Ansell.
By Sue McLeary. Photos by Lucia Zanmonti.
Back in 2011, a young chef called Paul Ansell met and married Elly Le Maitre, a young front-of-house staffer where they both worked at Wellington’s prestigious Logan Brown Restaurant. Paul remembers the details because the All Blacks were winning the Rugby World Cup at the time.
In 2014 they took on the lease of Pinocchio Restaurant in Martinborough, describing it as “a baptism of fire”. Elly said, “we had 10 years of hospitality experience but knew nothing about running a business. But we learned fast”.
Now, celebrating their 9th wedding anniversary, they’ve shifted focus to Greytown, taking over the prime Salute site on High Street and re-christening it Pinocchio Restaurant and Bar.
“We love Martinborough, and our families are there, but we were keen to expand into a bigger venue. We kept an eye out for two years, and when during COVID lockdown our accountant approached us about this possibility we leapt at it. The timing was right, and lockdown meant we had time to work on it.
“We love the sunny deck, leafy courtyard and being on the street. Greytown’s a bit bigger, and means we can offer more lunch business than we could in Martinborough,” says Ellie.
“Martinborough was very much an evening restaurant, and with two young daughters Ilaria and Skylar we wanted a bit more flexibility, and evening family time.
“So we’re open 11 am – 3 pm Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, plus 11 am – late Friday and Saturday.” she said.
Paul describes his food as “sophisticated and fresh, in a friendly, relaxed environment. Like most chefs, I appreciate simple things done well.
His food is often based on quite classical dishes – like French duck and orange – but using modern techniques, new twists, local products and innovative presentation.
“Naturally, our wines are mostly local, as well as Lighthouse and Reid & Reid gins. Many of our friends are in wineries. We like to support them, and it’s easy because they’re producing such good wines.
The couple always look to source as much local produce as possible, from raw ingredients like meat, fruit and seafood to speciality items like olive oils.
“Our menu will revolve around the three Pinocchio Favourites I can’t imagine dropping -- duck confit, beef fillet and 6-hour braised beef cheeks – complemented by other dishes that will change frequently.
“We love seasonal specialities like Martyn Bosley’s freshly shucked oysters, and the Mid-Winter Christmas menu for the Greytown Winter Christmas event in July.
“We’re starting by offering lunch, an express lunch, dinner and a tasting menu, plus a children’s menu. Inevitably we’ll change things around over time as we get to know what’s popular, but we’ll always highlight seasonal specialities,” Paul and Elly agree.
They work fast, putting their own stamp on the place. 10 days after opening, new bar stools had been added, the interior was re-painted white and they participated in Greytown’s Festival of Christmas through July. A stylish new logo reflects their love of food and wine combinations.
You might think at home they’d just kick back and relax away from the kitchen. But no, their daughters are “restaurant kids, fascinated by cooking,” says Elly.
“Ilaria spent most of her first year in a bassinet clipped to the side of a table in the restaurant. She obviously absorbed the vibe, because she loves learning to cook and is very observant,” says Paul.
“After watching me make pasta, she rolled it through the pasta machine perfectly first time. Most junior chefs can’t do that. Skylar adores chocolate mousse and has it every Saturday lunch at home,” he laughs.
Paul and Elly were thrilled they were featured with the confit duck dish in the Wellington on a Plate’s Greatest Hits online promotion, and are planning a delicious dish for the 2020 event re-scheduled for October.
“We were delighted most of our staff were able to come with us, so the transition has been smooth. We’re a well-oiled machine and loving moving into a higher gear in Greytown!”
