Michele Circhirillo

The Climb

Leadership in kitchen systems is one thread through Michele Circhirillo’s earlier roles. As Executive Chef at DOC group and later as Executive Chef at Brunetti Group, he worked in environments where consistency, pace, and standards were part of the job every day. Those positions shaped a style that reads as steady rather than showy, with detail carried as a working habit rather than a slogan. Today, as co-founder and Executive Chef of 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar Group and Restaurant Owner of 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar, Circhirillo applies that discipline to a focused concept with a clear point of view.

Today

Ownership at 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar places Michele Circhirillo in direct contact with the craft behind the dining room. Pizza and gnocchi sit at the centre because both demand exacting handling: they are familiar dishes, and familiar dishes leave little room to hide. The kitchen approach is straightforward, but not casual, with the work framed by repetition, timing, and hospitality. Gnocchi is made gluten-free across the house, and Circhirillo says the restaurant is the first gluten-free Gnocchi Bar in Australia. That choice gives the menu a specific identity within a well-known format. Among the signature dishes is purple gnocchi with Mediterranean cheeses and figs, which places Italian structure alongside local Australian produce without pushing the plate beyond its own logic.

Signature

Michele's signature dishes include gnocchi viola. The dish works because it holds to a simple format while using color and composition to shift the familiar into something more specific. In Circhirillo’s hands, it sits within a wider approach that values clarity over excess.

In Their Words “I really love to go to the markets in the region or country where I’m going to cook and look at what the market is offering and then I do the menu.” “I always like to use the local products and what’s in season.” Those lines describe a menu built from observation before prescription. The market sets the terms, and the kitchen follows with dishes that respond to what is available rather than forcing the produce into a fixed script.

Recognition

Michele's honors include Silver medalist, World Pizza Championship. In a category defined by dough handling, heat, timing, and consistency, that result points to disciplined execution rather than accident.