Words Emily Gray, Images Brydie Thompson
Located just 10 minutes from Te Puke, in Paengaroa, sits a historic cottage that is home to the beloved Trading Post, which, last May, started its latest chapter as an Osteria Italiana, owned and run by husband and wife team Simone and Kylie Saglia.
Almost 12 months in, we caught up with the couple to see how they’ve settled into life in the Bay of Plenty.
The story of how they arrived in Paengaroa starts in the beautiful Italian region of Piemonte, where Simone grew up in the rural town of Alba, famous for its white truffles and the Barolo, Barbaresco and Nebbiolo wineries that surround it. It was here that he spent his formative years, with his zio (uncle), learning all about wine, truffle hunting as a family and watching his zia (aunt) cook traditional dishes from scratch. “Some children played with toys, but I played with pots and pans,” explains Simone.
After five years in culinary school, Simone was ready to embrace life as a chef, and to travel. And it’s a journey that has seen him cooking across the world from Michelin star restaurants in Italy and private clubs in London, to start-up bakeries in the Coromandel and a stint working as a sous chef for acclaimed chef Neil Perry at Melbourne’s opulent Rosetta. It was in Melbourne that Simone met his Kiwi wife, Kylie, while he was working at Scopri, where, notably, Simone helped the team achieve their first Chef’s Hat.
As it was for so many, the Covid-19 pandemic was the catalyst for Simone to open his own business. With the restaurants closed, Simone and Kylie decided to rent out a kitchen space in Melbourne, where Simone could prep and hand make fresh pasta and sauces for takeaway. “It was a great success and it confirmed to me that I wanted to own my own restaurant and work for myself,” muses Simone. Having been separated from their families during the pandemic, once the restrictions were lifted, the couple knew it was time to move on from Australia.
Closing up shop, the couple and their two young children, Noah and Alba, moved to Whangamatā, where artisan microbakery Rüdi’s (now based in Hamilton) was taking its first steps. Simone joined the team, honing his baking skills for six months – the fruits of which can be seen in the moreish daily fresh pastries and handcrafted bread served at The Trading Post.
Knowing that, ultimately, they wanted to bring a taste of traditional Italian cuisine to the country, the couple started the search for their own restaurant. When they came across The Trading Post, they knew it was the one.
“We saw the kiwi and avocado orchards, and the community vibes in Paengaroa and it reminded me of home,” says Simone, “but when we found out it was also just five minutes from the Binn family’s Te Puke Truffle Farm, we knew it was supposed to be.”
Over the last year, Simone and Kylie have worked hard to build a menu of authentic, seasonal hand crafted dishes from across Italy’s regions and foster the warm and generous hospitality that the country is renowned for. “Many of our customers have been to or are going to Italy and we want to recreate the experience for them,” says Kylie.
It’s why you won’t find eggs benedict or a big breakfast on the menu. Instead you can indulge in the likes of a rollino – a savoury style crêpe, thick polenta chips served with a heady truffle and parmesan dip, gnocchi viola, and door stopper Italian club sandwiches. If you still have space, then round it off with a classic affogato. As for wines, best sipped in the sunny courtyard, you’ll find a varied list covering every corner of Italy.
As any restaurant owner will tell you, having a community who keep recommending you is the ticket for great success, but as Simone points out, it’s even more important given The Trading Post’s rural location. “Having a good relationship with our regulars isn’t just important, it’s the whole basis of our business. We’re lucky to have brilliant locals who spread the word about us, drop in on quieter days and bring us fresh produce from their gardens. We always listen to their opinion too. That’s why, following their feedback, we have introduced an a la carte menu in the evenings, alongside our Chef’s Choice degustation offering.”
In the future the couple hope to continue to build their community through cooking classes, wine events and being open seven days a week (they’re currently closed on Sundays and Mondays). There’s also talk of more pasta and pastry – which we say can only ever be a good thing. “We’d love to have a lab where we can produce pastry, pasta and sauces for customers. They’d be wholesale but not mass produced and would follow our dishes now made using Italian recipes and techniques with fresh, local ingredients,” says Simone.
“We love a garden to plate philosophy and have already planted herbs and citrus in the garden at The Trading Post that we use for our dishes, and we are looking to grow more of our own produce as well,” adds Kylie.
As for their thoughts on success, from an outside perspective, you could say the couple have already achieved it: a popular restaurant with a loyal following and a steady stream of new customers. But, as Simone explains, “In hospitality there isn’t an end, it’s an ever evolving world and industry. You always have to be up with the trends and to bring something new to your customers. You’re never done.”
The Trading Post
1 Hall Road, Paengaroa
