Women in business: Meet Cinzia Buono, restaurateur and co-owner of Buono and Sincero

For many young workers, an entry-level job in hospitality is a rite of passage.

Census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) confirmed in 2022 that the accommodation and food industry has the nation’s youngest workforce, with 45 per cent of its employees aged under 25 years.

Through gruelling hours in a fast-paced environment, young employees learn essential transferable skills like communication, time management, and customer service, that carry them forward into longer-term careers, often in other sectors or industries.

But for Cinzia Buono, hospitality wasn’t a stepping stone along her journey to finding her true professional passion. Buono made a conscious decision to leave a stable and successful office job in Switzerland to relocate to Australia and fulfill her dream of working in the hospitality and restaurant business.

Buono’s grandparents migrated from Italy to Switzerland to give their family a better future, for which she remains incredibly grateful.

“Life in Switzerland was, in many ways, very good,” she said. “It’s a country that offers stability, opportunities, and a high quality of life.”

For ten years, she worked in an office job where she had access to development opportunities and changed roles twice.

“It was a stable and secure career, but over time, I began to feel like something was missing,” she said.

“I felt trapped in the routine, knowing deep down that I wanted something different — something more connected to people, creativity, and passion.”

She spent time in Australia at the age of 19 to improve her English; her experiences here stayed with her for the following decade.

When she realised that she was ready to take a chance and pursue a career change, the seed that her earlier visit had planted inspired her to resign from her job, sell all her belongings, and buy a one-way ticket to Australia.

Stepping into the unknown: A new life, a new country and a new industry

Upon her arrival in 2017, Buono took some time to settle and immerse herself in her new environment. She wasn’t sure exactly what she hoped to achieve by relocating and resetting – she just knew she needed a change and trusted that the right pathway would reveal itself over time.

Making the leap and leaving behind the security and familiarity of her old life was both exciting and terrifying.

“It was a complete reset — leaving behind everything familiar and figuring things out as I went,” she said.

Rebuilding her social circle took time, but Buono stayed committed to putting herself out there and remaining open to opportunities.

“For any woman thinking about making a big change but feeling nervous, let me tell you, if you’re not nervous, there’s probably something wrong,” she said.

“You should feel nervous because you’re stepping into the unknown. That fear is just a sign that you’re doing something bold, something that pushes you beyond your comfort zone. My advice? Take it step by step.”

Buono never promised herself that she would be moving to Australia forever. Instead, she told herself to give it her best shot and see what happens. Every day, she decided to just continue moving forward one step at a time.

By staying present and taking each new challenge as it came, she avoided getting overwhelmed and was able to stay open to opportunities as they unfolded.

Hospitality: ‘The creativity of crafting an experience for others’

Like many people settling in a new country, Buono found a role in hospitality to support herself while she determined her next steps. For many, this choice is merely a means to an end, but as soon as Buono got her first job in a restaurant, everything clicked.

“The fast pace, the human connection, the creativity of crafting an experience for others — it all felt right,” she said.

“That was the moment I realised I had found my true path, even though I hadn’t set out knowing it from the start.”

Driven by her natural tenacity and desire to learn, Buono hungrily sought as much experience as she could in the hospitality sector, excelling at fine dining venues in Sydney, Broome, and Melbourne. She dreamed of creating something herself, inspired by her Italian grandparents who had risked so much to give her the chance to build her dream life.

Buono wanted to blend tradition with creativity and offer a fresh approach to Italian dining that exuded warmth, creativity, and an exceptional guest experience without an exorbitant price tag.

In 2020, just three years after arriving in Australia, she and her business partners opened their first restaurant, Buono, in Parkdale, a seaside suburb in south-east Melbourne. Despite opening during the same year that Melbourne experienced some of the world’s most extensive pandemic lockdowns, Buono knew she had to stay positive and creative to keep her momentum going.

Her commitment and determination not to quit paid off, and she beat the odds by making her new restaurant a success even through the extended restrictions on dining and recreation.

“After so many lockdowns, finally seeing Buono thrive was an incredible feeling,” she said.

“It gave us strength, reminding us that patience, resilience, and hard work were all worth it.

“But just when the business was at its best, the SkyRail construction began, limiting patron access and eliminating parking, bringing a new set of challenges. It was discouraging, to say the least.”

Expanding a restaurant business amid unprecedented uncertainty

The ongoing SkyRail construction disrupted access to the restaurant for much of 2023, just as Buono and her team had begun to find their feet after the most intense period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At one point, we were down by nearly 40 per cent and we faced a difficult decision,” said Buono.

“After struggling so much to find staff during COVID, we didn’t want to let go of the team we had worked so hard to build. Instead of reducing hours or making cuts, we decided to take a bold step forward — we opened a second restaurant, Sincero (in Malvern).”

Rather than retreat in the face of the many challenges facing her team and her business, Buono relied on her resilience, adaptability, and creativity. She reminded herself of why she fell in love with the industry in the first place – the idea that “hospitality is about more than just serving food—it’s about people, community, and the experiences we create. Even in difficult times, that belief kept us moving forward.”

Buono has now created two restaurants with their own unique identity, but based on the same foundations of high quality, reimagined Italian classics.

“Sincero leans more into fine dining, with a refined atmosphere and meticulous attention to detail,” said Buono.

“We had the privilege of working with Pascale Gomes McNabb, whose architectural vision truly shaped the space.”

Fine tuning the design elements of Sincero, from the tablecloths to the touches of marble throughout the restaurant create the distinct polished and sophisticated atmosphere that forms the backdrop of the dining experience.

“Buono, on the other hand, embraces a different kind of beauty — one rooted in warmth, cosiness, and simplicity,” Buono said.

“It’s a place where guests can feel at home, enjoying high-quality modern Italian food in a relaxed and inviting setting.”

Both of Buono’s restaurants now enjoy critical acclaim and are loved by locals and travellers alike. Her commitment to hospitality, not only as an industry but a frame of mind and a tailored experience, has paid off in more ways than one.

“My journey has shaped me in so many ways, both as a businesswoman and personally,” she said.

“I’ve grown a lot, and one of the biggest lessons has been learning to keep calm in certain situations.”

Working in the restaurant business is always rife with change, uncertainty, and unexpected challenges. By staying centred yet constantly seeking ways to grow and develop, Buono has become a more successful business owner and maintained her passion and enthusiasm for her work and life.

Through overcoming the challenges facing her restaurants, she has also consolidated her self-reliance and belief in her ability to adapt and persevere through whatever obstacles life may put in her path.

“You can throw whatever you like at me — a pandemic, a Skyrail, a cost-of-living crisis — but nothing will dampen my passion for hospitality. I’ll just keep on going,” she said.