$1 mil outlay: Fior restaurant to fill old Caruso's space at Gymea

Tristan Rosier and Rebecca Fanning are the creative minds behind Surry Hills restaurants Arthur and Jane, which have a big following.

Mr Rosier, the executive chef as well as co-owner, said Fior would be "an Italian restaurant, but through the lens of an Australian cuisine".

"We are going to use a lot of Australian ingredients, like 90 per cent," he said.

"It's going to be a big menu, all designed to share, maybe 20 antipasto items, six pastas, six main courses with sides, with fresh gelato made here as well, and a trolley serving table side."

Subject to DA approval, the restaurant will seat 120, including 30-35 on the terrace.

They aim to open Fior to the public in the first week of May.

Mr Rosier, who lived at Kirrawee for many years, has worked in hospitality since he was 14, with experience at leading shire cafes and restaurants.

He said it was a longstanding ambition to open a restaurant in the shire, but "there were few opportunities to get a building like this with age and character".

"I think the location is one of the most central in the shire. Every suburb is within 15 minutes, and the train station is close," he said.

"I think people are looking for something where they don't have to go to the city for a quality restaurant or to Cronulla and deal with the traffic."

The official announcement of Fior said Mr Rosier, together with head chef, Will Lawson, are "curating a casual, well-priced menu full of delicious, rustic dishes designed for sharing with the people you love and that will have you coming back again and again".

"The hyper seasonal menu will change often and will use predominantly Australian ingredients, except for what is, as Rosier says, 'simply better from Italy' and can't be reproduced to the same quality here in Australia like parmigiano reggiano and anchovies.

"The team will also be looking to work with other local shire suppliers, with Thoroughbred bakery locked in to bake their focaccia.

"Expect an ever-changing selection of antipasti, pasta made right in front of you in the large open kitchen, proscuitto being sliced and oysters being shucked up at the bar, a roaming gelato trolley serving guests tableside with gelato and sorbet made in house and flavours ever rotating, and what is anticipated to be 'the shire's best aperitivo hour'.

"The cocktail list and aperitivo offering will be curated by Eduardo Conde, current Diageo World Class Bartender of the year, and will have playful riffs on Italian classics.

"Rosier continued, 'We envision Fior to be an all-rounder for good times and unforgettable moments, somewhere you can come any day or night of the week for great food, service and atmosphere. The menu will be full of the things that people love eating and we want people to have fun, feel at home and be on a first name basis with our staff.'.

"The venue has been purposefully designed to offer a variety of dining and drinking experiences that suit every occasion, whether you're booking in for a long girls' lunch or a celebration with family and friends, stopping in for an afternoon aperitivo basking in the sun out on the expansive wraparound terrace, or wanting to sit up at the bar amongst all the action for date night."