When eating at the Lido Dining and Entertainment Complex, know that the planning of your meal was in the hands of executive chef Massimo Olivari.

After high school, he went to a culinary institute. After which he says he then worked around Italy.

“I did summer seasons by the sea and winter seasons in the mountains,” he said. “Then I went to New York City and I loved it and I learned a lot about the culture and the language.

“It was also a different way to work from my experience.”

When asked what was the main difference between working the US versus Italy, he said: “In Italy we used to use very nice ingredients and when I went to the States I saw the difficulties. They also used ingredients from South America that I wasn’t familiar with.

“So after New York, I came out here to Bermuda and I started working a Lido and I haven’t moved.”

“The menus are designed to reach all sectors of the community, including guests visiting with us.

“We are proud because we have a variety of food and menus that can reach everybody.

“Mickeys on the beach has a lot of barbecues and family styled food, at the Lido we have a large selection of meat and chops, so that we can reach everybody.”

The Lido Complex has been built and rebuilt, but it offers choices for diners.

“Maybe you don’t have a formal dinner, but you might sit of these chairs overlooking the view and have some sushi and tapas or appetisers like that.

“I think we offer a full package for everybody and I am very proud of what we have done here.”

The Complex has a master sushi chef on hand to ensure consistent quality.

“He has worked in the Philippines, Japan and now in Bermuda,” said Mr. Olivari.

“We also have a great sous chef who does a good job.”

As the executive chef, he spends his time within all the restaurants.

“I spend some time at Lido, I spend some time at Mickeys and I also spend some time at Sea Breeze on the terrace.

“We have a brigade of 25 chefs and they are divided between the three locations.”

The menu, he says, “is very well balanced”.

“One of the favourites is the seafood risotto and there are about 14 different sea foods within it. We have scallops and scampi, mussels, octopus, scuttle fish and lobster.

“Sometimes the seafood is chopped in pieces, we do that but we also put this incredible amount of seafood with it.

“Another is scallops with oysters in a champagne sauce. There are also fresh oysters on the menu.

“We have also the classics that make a seafood restaurant, plus extras, so it is well balanced. We change the menu every season, so that people don’t get bored with it — there is something new all the time.”