Panini perfection: Italy’s best sandwich maker Alessandro Frassica brings Sydney the perfect sandwich

Hailed Italy’s best sandwich maker, Ino Panino founder Alessandro Frassica has brought his perfect panini to Sydney to share his secrets and cause a stir.

An offering from Alessandro Frassica’s Florence sandwich store, Ino Panino. Picture: Supplied

A chance encounter at a party in Italy has led to the panini king coming to Sydney.

Maybe Group, who are responsible for Maybe Sammy, have brought the world’s most celebrated panini purveyor, Alessandro Frassica, to town.

Frassica, who runs Florence’s Ino Panino, will be serving his world renowned sandwiches (he’s been voted the best in Italy, has three cookbooks dedicated to the subject and his store, which is only open for four hours a day, has lines around the door) at Sammy Junior from 12.30 on Wednesday and then aperitif panino’s at Maybe Sammy on Thursday at 4.30pm.

“I want to bring my philosophy of authentic Italian food to Sydney … It’s not important I use ingredients from Italy but they have the same philosophy of Italian panino.

Panini Purveyor Alessandro Frassica, at Sammy Junior, King Street, Sydney. Alessandro’s Florence hotspot Ino Panini has been voted among the best sandwiches in Italy. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“You have to respect what I do, and I will do what I want. Not two meats. Many people haven’t been to Italy and I have to tell them what is real Italy,” he said.

“When I opened Ino Panino 16 years ago, the world was changing. People weren’t eating lunch at home with their families, but lunch must still be pleasurable and healthy and we don’t need to eat too much.

Frassica believes the secret to the perfect sandwich is simplicity. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“My panino’s are simple and I always to look for balance and harmony in the taste and in the nutritional value.”

This isn’t the first time Frassica has been in Australia. He proposed to his wife here 25 years ago.

And, according to Maybe Group’s co-founder Stefano Catino, this isn’t the last we will be seeing of Frassica.

“Having the best panino maker in town was something I couldn’t miss. Even though we are know for our drinks, this is a challenge and we will see what happens,” Catino said.

Maybe Group founders Vince Lombardo, Martin Hudak and Stefano Cantino launch the Maybe Cocktail Festival. Picture: Supplied

Not content with just brining the panini king in from Florence, the Maybe Sammy group are also bringing the best bar talent from across the world to Sydney for the Maybe Cocktail Festival.

In April, 16 bartenders from bars that have been voted in the The World’s 100 Best Bars 2022 will take up residency at a bar at a Maybe Sammy venue or The Strand, with the popular Public Hospitality becoming a partner.

Think Sips, from Barcelona which is ranked Number 3 in the world. Columbia’s Alquimico, New York’s Attaboy and Greece’s Line.

The bartenders will host masterclass events and serving their creations, one of the reasons Martin Hudak wanted to bring the best here was so they could experience what the talent Australians have to offer.

“It’s really challenging for Australian bars to get the same global awareness as bars in Europe and the Americas as it’s easier and cheaper for bartenders to travel between those continents. We hope this program of sending bartenders out beyond the bars within our two hospitality groups helps the local bar industry receive the exposure they deserve and cements new relationships with like minded bars from overseas,” said Hudak.