Roberto Scheriani is well accustomed to standing out from the crowd. As a child it was down to his colourful Italian upbringing: the homemade prosciutto, salami and sausages made from the pig killed by the family each Easter; the wine his father fermented from grapes bought at the Queen Victoria Market; the plates of calamari fritti served up as a family dinnertime “treat” while friends faced down yet another casserole.

As an adult it is still his heritage which sets him apart. As the man behind the dramatic multi-level brilliance of The Italian, Scheriani brings to Melbourne the Northern Italian cuisine his mother kept alive in their suburban Airport West home: the polenta, gnocchi and rich, meaty ragus containing the influence of the cuisines of nearby Austria, Hungary and Slovenia. And while adaptations have been made to cater to a broader market (the appearance of more seafood, for instance), at its heart The Italian remains true to its origins.

As does Scheriani himself. Raised to appreciate the central importance of the kitchen to daily family life, there was never any doubt the food-obsessed school boy would make hospitality his career. Having left school the driven 17-year-old got his start as a waiter before moving to help establish the newly opened Rosati, an eating place which – in a neat twist of fate – now sits in the shadow of the restaurant within the prestigious 101 Collins Street building that bears his identity if not his name.

Of course there was much that went on in those intervening years which shaped both the Scheriani and The Italian of today: the basement restaurant that was Roberto’s on Russell Street that saw nearly a decade of operation, followed after a short break by The Italian’s first incarnation on Flinders Lane. But it’s the 160-seat vision of pristine napery, floor-to-ceiling windows, suspended courtyard and modern rustic cuisine which sums up Scheriani’s journey. A life and venue built on tradition but not stifled by it. A culinary love affair anchored in memories but open to new ideas. Both a man and a restaurant standing together, apart.