Who We Are
The one80 concept was born out of a passion for food, a feeling that is mutual between founding duo Rouvin Zammit Apap and Jesmond Vella. Combining their professional backgrounds in the 5-star hotel industry and their shared love of excellent food and hospitality, Rouvin and Jesmond developed an innovative concept for a restaurant of their own, resulting in the inaugural one80 Kitchen & Lounge in Mellieħa, Malta.
Three years later, the one80 brand expanded to Malta’s sister island of Gozo with the opening of the one80 Kitchen at Mġarr Yacht Marina. To further diversify their offering, one80 introduced a seasonal floating restaurant in the heart of the Mġarr Yacht Marina and, most recently, added the entertainment destination Ix-Xatt by one80 and a haven for Japanese Street Food, one80 Izakaya to their Gozitan venues. one80’s newest venture finds itself in the vibrant capital city of Valletta! Located at one80 St. Christopher Street, one80 ‘Tal-Belt’ offers a unique and unforgettable experience that revolves around genuine, premium produce and personalized service.
Although each destination offers a unique concept, the overall one80 experience promises excellent quality throughout!
Meet Rouvin
Having been introduced to hospitality from a young age, Rouvin knew that his passion lay in the Food and Beverage sector. At just 14 years old, Rouvin became actively involved in the management of a family-run bar and later on pursued a Higher Diploma in Hospitality Management at the Institute of Tourism Studies. During this time, Rouvin undertook a year-long internship at the internationally-renowned, 5-star luxury Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. This experience proved instrumental in developing the skills that Rouvin would then use to further his career, and he returned to Malta with a renewed passion for his work. He gained experience working with the Island Hotels Group while reading for a BA in Tourism at the University of Malta.
Over a period of 15 years, Rouvin climbed the ranks from a bartender to Food & Beverage Manager at the Radisson Blu in St Julian’s and Operations Manager at a local 5-star hotel chain, two experiences which would later contribute to one80’s success. Apart from his dedication to his work, Rouvin loves to spend quality time with his wife, Graziella, and their two children, Ella and Kai. Naturally, he enjoys dining out, sampling new wines, travelling and fashion. You can always find him ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest trends, which he creatively applies to the one80 brand.
Meet Jesmond
In 1990, Jesmond decided to pursue a career in the service industry and enrolled in a course at the Institute of Tourism Studies. This experience opened him up to the international world of hospitality, as he split his time between studying in Malta and gaining work experience at the 5-star London Hilton on Park Lane. After completing his course, Jesmond brought his industry knowledge to the Hilton Malta and, three years later, made his way back to London to work at the Langham Hilton. This is where he developed a passion for wine which would later help him to source the best quality wines for the one80 restaurants across the islands.
Jesmond was keen to return to Malta to work as Bistrot Manager at the newly-opened Radisson SAS in St Julian’s. He furthered his training in the United States and went on to cement his stellar reputation among the local 5-star hotel scene, before channelling his expertise into the one80 brand. When he’s not at the restaurant, Jesmond loves spending quality time with his family, travelling and reading – albeit mostly about wines! You can also be certain that he won’t miss a match played by his beloved team, Liverpool F.C.
About one80
The one80 concept is simple – we are devoted to offering uncomplicated, good food and drink. While we carry out extensive research before putting together our menus, we want to let our dishes do the talking, resulting in easy, relaxed and modern cuisine that bursts with flavour and elegance. Although each destination offers a unique concept, the overall one80 experience promises excellent quality throughout!
Our strength lies in the quality of the ingredients that we source for our restaurants – from local fish and premium beef to international wines and homemade desserts.
We strive to support local farmers and fishermen by working with Maltese and Gozitan suppliers renowned for their high-quality produce. Each of our venues is designed to create a welcoming ambience where guests can feel right at home while enjoying a freshly prepared meal among friends.
Our kitchens and bars are equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and technology, which are handled by our talented and respected chefs. To truly understand the one80 experience, we invite you to visit one of our outlets in Malta and Gozo.
Andrea Motta – Head Chef, one80 Kitchen & Lounge, Mellieha
Honouring his Italian origins, Head Chef Andrea Motta is a true expert of Italian cuisine. Born in Padova and brought up in Bologna with a strong Sicilian background, Andrea has mastered the art of making fresh pasta and has become an expert in all things fish and seafood. As you can imagine, his Italian roots have had a significant influence on our menus – and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Andrea began his culinary career in Brazil, where he worked at an Italian restaurant in the city of Fortaleza that fused traditional dishes with Brazilian flavours. He picked up this technique while working at the popular ‘Churraschiera’ restaurant, also in the same Brazilian state. Later, he moved to Bologna where he finessed his skills and continued his training at a 2-star Michelin restaurant, ‘Osteria del Sole’, where he seriously developed his palate and passion for top quality produce.
Since then, Chef Andrea has worked in several leading restaurants between Italy and Malta. Ambitious by nature and well-seasoned in his craft, Andrea is a born leader who now heads all kitchen operations from our Mellieħa restaurant and is responsible for maintaining the high standards behind the one80 concept.
Andrea’s genuine and humble attitude is carried through from the kitchen to his daily life. He believes that luxury lies in simplicity and appreciates whatever comes his way, surrounded by his loved ones.
Maheshwor Shrestha – Head Sushi Chef, Gozo
Following in the footsteps of his uncle, Maheshwor dedicated himself to becoming a chef during his early childhood years. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and a professional qualification from the Chef Association of Nepal, Maheshwor furthered his skills by completing a specialist training course from Master Sushi Chefs in Cyprus. He began working in the industry in 1999 and has since gained experience on an international scale.
A strong work ethic has led Maheshwor to achieve his goals, and he is constantly motivated by the positive experiences he has gained along the way. As a chef, Maheshwor enjoys communicating with different people and sharing his experiences, as well as learning more about service, bars and management too. After moving to Malta, Maheshwor became a core part of the one80 team and was promoted to Head Chef and Assistant Restaurant Manager. He found the freedom to apply his skills in the one80 kitchen, where he enjoys working with local top-quality products for sushi blend infusions alongside his team of passionate colleagues.
At home, Maheshwor enjoys cooking traditional Nepalese and Newari foods to enjoy a taste of home with his family. His adventurous streak also leads him to spend his free time camping, walking in nature, visiting new places and enjoying great food and drinks, of course!
Luke Rapa – Head Chef, one80 Kitchen, Gozo
From his mother’s kitchen to becoming Head Chef at One80 in Gozo, Luke Rapa traces his love for cooking back to his childhood. He would spend Sunday mornings making cakes and roasts, and to this day he still spends his free time experimenting in the kitchen, exploring new restaurants or growing herbs and seasonal vegetables at home.
For Luke, cooking revolves around fresh, local and seasonal produce. He incorporates techniques and flavours from all over the world to create something special. In 2010, he enrolled in Culinary School at the Institute of Tourism Studies to further hone his skills. This led him to interning at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland where he worked with two 2** chefs, Daniel Galmiche and Eric Chavot, and also worked at the hotel’s 2AA Rosettes restaurant. After completing his internship, Luke returned to Malta to work in various hotels and restaurants. He gained experience working in Australia while travelling and eventually found his way back to Gozo where he joined one80 as Head Chef, leading the buzz and great energy in our kitchen!
Luke received the title of ’Best Culinary Chef of the Year’ in October 2022 and his passion and dedication continues to shine through his work.
Thomas Muscat – Restaurant Manager, one80 St.Christopher Str., Valletta
Being bubbly and sociable by nature, Thomas found his perfect match in the hospitality industry. He enrolled in a Food & Beverage Service course from the Institute of Tourism Studies to pursue his passion and was always fascinated by mixology and the restaurant environment. Interacting with guests and listening to customers comes naturally to Thomas, who went on to gain experience in the hotel industry abroad. Working his way up from entry-level positions to Restaurant Manager, Thomas has sharpened his knowledge by working with people from different cultures and backgrounds and learning more about wines, spirits, service, purchasing and costing control!
For Thomas, every day on the job is different and that is what excites him most about his work. Meeting different clients daily, surprises can pop up around every corner. Thomas is always up for a challenge and loves satisfying client demands and creating tailored solutions for specific requests – he thrives on guest satisfaction. But in his spare time, Thomas enjoys winding down with family and friends or getting his hands dirty working on his cars in the garage!
Bojan Dragovic – Operations Manager, Gozo
Having attended Medical School in his home country of Serbia, Bojan began working in the hospitality industry on a part-time basis while completing his studies. What started as a side job soon turned into a career as Bojan realised that his heart lay in the bars and restaurants scene. Driven by his newfound passion, Bojan emigrated to Malta in 2014 after enhancing his industry knowledge and skills to become a fully-qualified professional bartender. He completed a Hospitality GED, earning him a Barista Diploma which led him to gain hands-on experience in various destinations across Europe.
After hearing about one80, Bojan paid a visit to the restaurant and instantly felt a connection to the atmosphere and audience. A few weeks later, Bojan joined the team and found his place at the newly-opened Gozo outlet!
Now, Bojan is in charge of ensuring all one80 operations are running smoothly, and that every guest has a pleasant experience when dining at any of the brand outlets. When not leading the team towards success, Bojan can be found trying out different restaurants, fishing or travelling the world with his better half.
one80 Kitchen & Lounge Mellieha, Malta
30, Triq il-Wied ta’Ruman
Mellieha MLH 4023, Malta
+356 2152 1637
one80 Kitchen Mgarr, Gozo
Triq Martino Garces, Mgarr Yacht Marina
Mgarr, Gozo GSM 2413
+356 2156 3317
