By Renee Wood
There are many businesses that have helped to form the Yarra Valley as a hospitality rich haven and Yarra Valley Pasta is one that’s been instrumental in raising the region’s profile as a must see and taste place to stop by.
Yarra Valley Pasta opened its doors in May 1997, with Maria Colaneri – known to many as Mary – sharing her talent in creating traditional Italian pasta.
Lisa Giffard, (formerly Lisa Colaneri), joined her mother at the Maroondah Highway business in Healesville and said it opened at a time when the region was making a name for itself as a top food and wine contender.
“Back then the valley was just really emerging, lots of talented winemakers and a lot of big companies had come in like Domain Chandon and we had BRL Hardy, the the De Bortolis had set up,” Ms Giffard said.
“There was a whole different vibe in the valley and people were looking for something to eat in Healesville.”
Ms Giffard described how labour intensive and fast paced it was, making all of the products handmade on small pasta machines and then selling the fresh goods immediately.
“I remember the little stove with a pot of sauce being made and no sooner had that been tubbed off and sold – and Mum said I’m got to go and do it all again tomorrow. So it was really very well received.”
A café and catering were also part of the business early on, running for six years.
Ms Giffard recalls the ever-changing menu, writing the daily offering on butcher’s paper on the wall for passerbys or regulars to pop in and taste.
“We’d just write up the menu – a couple of cakes, we’d make a lemon tart or an Italian Sicilian apple cake and beautiful coffee – back then it was $2.20 and people used to freak out.”
As the local hospitality sector started to cement its position at the table, Yarra Valley Pasta was there every step of the way – working with local food festivals and wineries on antipasto platers, pasta and more.
The iconic provedore Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder was one of the first to stock its goods, as Melburnian’s palates engaged with the growing flavours bursting out of the Yarra Valley.
“That was a really great start for our product getting a little bit more well known out there, because Healesville wasn’t the place that people came to visit because there wasn’t a lot here.”
“Back then a lot of the other food producers were all just trying so hard to establish ourselves in business, and some of the wineries, so everyone worked really, really well together to make that happen and to put us all on the map.”
The flavours that have swirled through the business have been tried and tested traditional mixes but also experiments have demanded their own permanent position as a staple over the years.
Ms Giffard said the spinach and ricotta remains forever popular, while others were created, like the smoked trout and goats cheese, after working closely with chefs for one of the first Yarra Valley wine programs.
“It was different, no one had ever really done anything like that before and that’s when we said let’s have the confidence to do something a little bit different.
“We also had a beautiful prawn macadamia nut and chili ravioli, which was another chef – Ross from Ricky’s Bikkies.”
Ms Giffard said the business started to grow when wholesaling began and larger machinery was brought in to meet the demand and create high quality snap frozen products.
“We had to figure out how we could do what this small batch was at home into a commercial batch. So in the end, we were doing anywhere between 120 and 150 kilos in a batch, so that was significant.”
The shop also known on a national stage after winning a champion pasta award at the Sydney Royal Show and other Australian Food Awards.
Although the accolades and high praise from top chefs are of plenty, Ms Giffard said it’s being part of the special moments for local customers that are more valuable and changing the menu from meat and three veg to Italian home recipes.
“We believed in what we have done and backed ourselves, so I think that’s possibly been part of the success of the brand.”
But now all good things must come to an end and Ms Giffard has announced Yarra Valley Pasta will be closing its doors after 25 years in the business.
Ms Giffard said spending more time with family is one of the main drivers in the decision, while considering another direction for her passion for pasta.
“I knew that I needed to reinvent things and I also knew that in order to do that, I had to dig really deep and I just don’t feel with everything else that’s going on that I have it at the moment.
“I want to find the passion that I had in the start, and the last two years have thrown so many things at me that I just need to sit back and have a think.”
Ms Giffard said she is noticing a wider shift in the hospitality industry as others start to think and press the reset button on their careers and lifestyles following an industry shake up from the pandemic.
“They want simplicity, they want to spend time with their families because most of them are doing crazy double shifts on the weekends.”
Ms Giffard believes reinvention is the key in carrying forward for many, something she is looking forward to for herself.
The last day of operating for the shop will be Friday 1 April and Ms Giffard thanks staff and loyal customers for supporting Yarra Valley Pasta over the past two decades.
“For everybody out there that has enjoyed it – enjoy the memory.”
