Zig Zag Motel Switchback Restaurant head chef Frank Pantano grew up in Lithgow, but spent many years in Bathurst as he learnt his craft.

"I started my apprenticeship in Bathurst and from there I did move around a bit as a young apprentice just to gain as much knowledge from as many different chefs as I could," he said.

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He had his first head chef role at Sasha's Restaurant in Bathurst, then went on to The Family Hotel, where he started and ran the Italian restaurant La Famiglia for six years before taking a break.

"I left cheffing for a while because I had a young family and that's when I started getting involved in coffees and wines, still in hospitality," he said.

"I try to master everything I get into."

Two years later, he took up a head chef role at Bathurst RSL Club for a few years before he took over the restaurant at Bathurst Golf Club.

"Bathurst Golf Club were looking for someone to come and take over their restaurant and that was sort of my first business and from there we started Pantano's Cuisine," he said.

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Mr Pantano said he was later approached by GT Bar and Grill to go into shares to form what is today known as Pantano's Bar and Grill.

"I was there for a long time and I think when you start becoming repetitive you kind of lose interest in food," he said.

"Eventually I got out and started working at cafes all around Bathurst, which was a good experience."

After doing his stint in Bathurst, Mr Pantano was on his way to Sydney but stopped in Lithgow for a while.

"I wanted time off, but I was getting bored so I started doing some casual work at the Zig Zag," he said.

"Eventually I took over as head chef and have been here for almost five years."

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Getting a compliment for his food at the Zig Zag is always nice, he said.

"It makes you feel good, like you've achieved something.

"You're here all day for hours on end preparing and it literally only takes 15 minutes for them to eat it and if they're satisfied, then I'm very happy."

Mr Pantano said presentation was key when it came to serving a dish.

"People eat with their eyes; they look at it, smell it and then they taste it," he said.

He said personality could also be reflected through food.

"I think as a chef you can go to a restaurant and see a plate of food and you can tell straight away what the chef is like," he said.

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Mr Pantano said he has always tried to stick with his heritage when it comes to setting a menu and making new dishes.

"That's how I describe my food: it's Italian, Mediterranean, with a touch of myself in it," he said.

"You go with what you know, what you're brought up with and the food you love.

"I don't know why I'm so passionate about it [food]. You get a few different ingredients and you turn it into something good, tasteful, nice and enjoyable."

Mr Pantano said in terms of running a kitchen smoothly, it was important to be prepared.

"I'm here from 10.30am. I butcher the meat, make my own sauces, everything is made in house.

"It's a lot of work. I like to make sure everything is perfect so that when it comes to service it's a matter of cooking, putting things together and sending it out.

"If you're not prepped for service, you're going to fail."

He said being a chef was a demanding job, but it was his passion for food that kept him motivated.

"It takes time and experience to be able to control a kitchen and you do have bad days, but you just have to flick a switch and pump it out.

"On my days off, all I do is cook. I love it. I do it every day of the week."

The Zig Zag Motel will be undergoing renovations in the near future and will be renaming its restaurant.

Mr Pantano said it will have more of an Italian influence and there will be fresh pizzas daily.