Nestled high above the heart of Sandton, on the seventh floor of The Leonardo, AURUM Restaurant is not only a destination for refined cuisine but also a space where memory, flavour, and flair converge.
- At the helm of its golden-hued kitchen is Executive Chef Michelle Biondi, a culinary force whose journey includes some of South Africa’s most revered kitchens.
- Her gastronomic vision is shaping a dining philosophy grounded in comfort, creativity, and culinary storytelling.
- AURUM has launched its 2025 Winter Menu featuring new additions and reinterpretations of all-time favourites.
- Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.
Executive Chef Michelle Biondi’s seasonal menus at AURUM are much more than a collection of dishes – they’re thoughtful narratives designed to evoke emotion. In winter, for example, she crafts meals that capture the very spirit of the season. It’s about more than temperature or texture; it’s about what the food means.
She delves into what each dish meant to her and how it made her feel in an interview with The Sandton Times, highlighting the importance of designing meals that comfort the soul. One such dish that holds a deeply personal connection is her spinach tart, a nostalgic nod to her mother’s kitchen. Originally baked at home with rich cheeses and subtle African influences, Michelle reinterprets this family favourite to suit the sophisticated palates that frequent AURUM, while retaining the warmth and familiarity of shared holiday meals.
It most definitely comes from meals at home and having a lot of family around the table, Christmas.
// AURUM Restaurant Executive Chef Michelle Biondi
Her passion for food is matched by a reverence for detail. Having trained in environments where technical precision met bold experimentation, Biondi developed a style that values presentation just as much as flavour.
Most diners eat with their eyes most of the time, she notes, emphasising how beautiful plating and thoughtful finishing touches elevate the entire experience. At AURUM, where the name itself is derived from the Latin word for gold, the expectation is luxury – but for Michelle, luxury is less about excess and more about crafting meaning.
It has meaningful experiences. So now we want to try and create a little bit of atmosphere, something extra.
// AURUM Restaurant Executive Chef Michelle Biondi
She’s talking about the growing introduction of theatre into the dining room – oysters presented on dry ice to create clouds of scent and drama; dishes that don’t just arrive, but announce themselves in multi-sensory moments.
You want to literally reel in all of your senses.
// AURUM Restaurant Executive Chef Michelle Biondi
Flavour, however, remains the heart of it all. Michelle’s approach is to enhance the natural qualities of ingredients, often pairing them in surprising ways that somehow feel both daring and familiar. She recalls a carrot risotto from a previous menu that combined oven-roasted honeyed carrots with fresh grapes, toasted almonds, and pickled raisins.
If you hear carrot risotto, you’re like, carrot risotto? But people called me to the table and said they really thought it was going to be weird, but enjoyed it so much.
// AURUM Restaurant Executive Chef Michelle Biondi
It’s this blend of curiosity and comfort that defines her culinary style – bold but not brash, thoughtful but never contrived. Even her vegetarian offerings, like that risotto, are treated with the same finesse and excitement as more traditional proteins.
While her inspiration often draws from Mediterranean traditions and modern European techniques, Michelle is firmly grounded in the local. Sustainability and seasonality aren’t just buzzwords – they’re daily considerations. Menus are developed only after multiple rounds of testing and refinement, ensuring that what lands on the plate is not only beautiful and delicious but also practical.
We cook again and again until you feel that this dish is perfect. You’ll never come here and hear, ‘Sorry, it’s out of season’.
// AURUM Restaurant Executive Chef Michelle Biondi
In this way, AURUM’s menus remain rooted in the South African context while embracing the broader influences that speak to global travellers and local gourmands alike. And those diners? They’re a mix of discerning Johannesburg locals and international visitors lured by The Leonardo’s lofty reputation. Catering to both, Michelle maintains a clever balance. The menu offers sophisticated, boundary-pushing plates alongside South African classics with elevated twists. Ostrich, kudu, and savoury-sweet profiles cater to those seeking something local, while more experimental dishes appeal to adventurous palates.
South Africans actually have a really sweet palate, she notes, a detail that often surprises her international guests. But whatever the dish, recommendations are always made with care – each plate designed to either challenge or comfort, sometimes both.
Beyond AURUM, Michelle also leads the kitchen at Alto234, the highest urban bar in Africa. It’s yet another testament to her adaptability and broad skill set. She acknowledges the increasing demand for lighter, more health-conscious dishes and sees Mediterranean cuisine as a natural fit – balancing clean flavours with satisfying, nutrient-rich ingredients.
Customers are more conscious about what they consume.
// AURUM Restaurant Executive Chef Michelle Biondi
Chef Michelle Biondi’s tenure at AURUM is defined by intention. Whether reimagining a childhood dish or choreographing a dramatic presentation of oysters, she doesn’t just cook food – she looks to curate experiences. Under her leadership, AURUM has become a restaurant that doesn’t just serve meals but aims to tell a story and becomes an expression of identity, history, and the shared joy of something truly delicious.
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