Profile

"Since 1952, Mezzapica has been serving Sydney with traditional continental cakes and biscuits."

Angelo Mezzapica was born in 1912 in Lipari, Italy and was influenced by his father, who owned and operated a bar-style coffee lounge serving cakes, coffee and other pastries. Until the age of 16, he worked for his father but he knew that to learn the pastrycook trade, he would have to move to a larger city. Starting and completing his apprenticeship in Messina, Sicily, Angelo worked under a top Swiss pastry chef who was only too willing to pass on his valuable skills and recipes. Such was his determination to learn this trade, he was not paid during his apprenticeship, as this was normal in those days.

After various jobs working in his industry, Angelo migrated to Australia in 1949. During the next few years, he prepared to open his Continental Cake Shop in ‘Little Italy', Leichhardt. He became widely known throughout the Italian community.

By 1962, Mezzapica Continental Cakes was considered the only place to go for Italian cakes, biscuits and pastries for all occasions. Two years later, Angelo's nephew, Frank Portelli started his apprenticeship with Mezzapica, learning all that his uncle had to show him and eventually leasing the shop from him in 1977. In 1982, Frank purchased the business and Angelo entered his well-deserved retirement.

Six years later, Frank was ready for a change and sold Mezzapica Cakes to his nephews, who introduced deliveries of Mezzapica products to cafes, bars and restaurants around Sydney.

Late 1997, Frank and his wife Marinella together with his brother-in-law Efisio Concu and his wife Julianne opened a new patisserie/café in Five Dock to outstanding success. They have built up a solid reputation amongst the local community for delicious cakes, biscuits and gelato. In May 2000, the opportunity arose for them to take over Mezzapica Cakes and they have had the pleasure of serving customers throughout Sydney with quality products.