In this episode of Dining Room Stories, we sit down with Frank and Peter, co-founders of Saluministi, to unpack the journey from a backyard salami competition to three thriving locations, a bustling catering arm, and a philosophy rooted in heritage, simplicity, and doing things entirely on their own terms.
From the origin of their unusual brand name, to navigating rising costs, building a team that feels like family, and the eternal debate over Italian coffee culture, this conversation is as rich and layered as a perfectly made porchetta panini.
Topics covered:
How a Melbourne Salami Festival sparked a business empire
Why they launched a sandwich shop in the middle of a burger craze
The story behind the name “Saluministi” (and why Frank’s mum still can’t say it)
Managing 3 stores + catering with Italian values at the core
The secret to a great business partnership (hint: marry into the family)
Rising costs, profit margins & why revenue is vanity, profit is sanity
Their best-selling panini and why every single one is crumbed by hand
Italian coffee culture vs Melbourne coffee and where they draw the line
Whether you’re a food lover, a hospitality entrepreneur, or just someone who wants to hear two passionate Italians talk about panini — this one’s for you.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro hook: Frank & Peter of Saluministi
01:19 – Origin Story, The Melbourne Salami Festival that started it all
02:57 – First Store — The 2014 North Melbourne pop-up
03:00 – 🍔 Entering a burger-obsessed Melbourne with sandwiches
04:09 – 💡 The name “Saluministi” — where it came from (and why even Frank’s mum can’t say it)
06:01 – 🗣️ The panini vs “paninis” debate — a sore subject
07:06 – 🥩 Educating Melbourne on Italian food (mortadella, porchetta, and more)
08:08 – 💼 Peter’s transition: From MBA & banking to running a food business
09:26 – 🛠️ Designing the business on their own terms — lifestyle first
10:45 – 📉 How Covid changed (and clarified) the business
12:18 – 📍 The three locations & the journey to get there
13:16 – 🏭 Inside the Docklands HQ — how everything is made fresh daily
14:31 – 🍱 Catering as a fourth arm of the business
15:47 – 🎪 Events & activations — Formula One, weddings, corporate & more
18:49 – 🇮🇹 How Italian heritage shapes every dish on the menu
21:07 – 📖 “Every panini tells a story” — the brand philosophy explained
22:28 – 🦑 The calamari panini story — Catholic Fridays and fish traditions
24:24 – 💸 Rising costs, tight margins & the real economics of hospitality
27:31 – 📊 Why having a numbers-person in the business is a superpower
28:18 – 👥 Building a team culture — people as the key to scaling
32:09 – 😂 How Frank & Peter actually met (the funniest story of the episode)
33:03 – 🤝 Making a family business partnership actually work
34:42 – ⚖️ The power of being different — complementary skills & values
38:39 – 🧾 Frank at the desk, Peter on the road — dividing and conquering
39:44 – 📈 “Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity” — a hospitality reality check
41:19 – 🍗 The best-selling panini: Il Polo (the chicken that took over)
42:49 – 👐 Hand-crumbing thousands of pieces — why quality can’t be shortcut
43:16 – ✨ “Less is more” — the confidence it takes to keep things simple
46:21 – ☕ Italian coffee philosophy — one size, no exceptions
48:23 – 🫘 Melbourne coffee vs Italian coffee — an honest and heated debate
51:17 – 🤌 Coffee as community — what Italy does better
52:56 – 👋 Outro — Closing reflections on community, connection & passion
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Canon in D Major by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
1 Comment
Grazie Andrea and Omah — it was truly a pleasure to be involved. We’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share our story in such a wonderful space, with two such welcoming and generous hosts. Grazie tanto!