Melo Percolla - Owner
Enjoying a slice - Mar '19
Meet the owner
My name is Melo Percolla and I am Head Chef and Owner of Six Hills Cafe. Our mission is to create incredible taste experiences by using my strong Sicilian heritage and 25 years of fine dining restaurant experience. This is my story, I hope you enjoy.
Ciao Melo x
A short history
March 1987
Learning from the best
Melo Percolla started his culinary journey in a small Sicilian restaurant at the foot of Mt Etna, owned by his father. Melo quickly learnt the basics, learning how to serve drinks and serve tables to a standard set high by his father. With this new found passion and interest, Melo enrolled at a local Culinary School.
Brought up surrounded by catering professionals, including his father and uncle, Melo’s passion for food was ingrained from a young age. While on summer leave from the Culinary College, Melo started working with a prestigious 5 * local hotel, working as a junior waiter. In the evenings, Melo spent his time hanging around his Uncle’s sandwich bar which produced many local delicacies such as arancini, pizza, pasta dishes and cakes.
After completing his diploma, and previous job as a 5* hotel waiter, Melo was offered a position aboard a Princess Cruise line. He travelled the seas from country to country, working his way up to Head Waiter. After 2 years, Melo decided he needed to take a break and evaluate his next steps…his move to the UK.
fine dining
1818 miles later, Melo arrived at St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester with £80 to his name. From 1997 to 2008, Melo was heavily involved in the culinary industry, from opening San Carlo as Head Waiter to working with prestigious hotels such as Kilworth House and Claridge’s in London.
In 2008, Melo acquired a restaurant in Leicester with hopes and goals starting his own fine dining experience. Sadly, 2008 also held host to the Credit Crunch. This financial pressure added strain on the business, which unfortunately lead to Melo closing the doors on his new venture in early 2009.
Undeterred, and still working, Melo’s vision of starting a restaurant in Leicester were still very much alive.
In 2010, Melo was offered a position at Stapleford park, a luxurious country house in the Leicestershire countryside, a position which he held for 2 years. During 2012, while simultaneously working at Stapleford park, Melo was able to acquire and open the doors at Six Hills Cafe.
March 1997
February 2012
six hills cafe
Six Hills Cafe is a combination of over 30 years culinary experience. It’s been 8 years of learning, change and addition. This high level of passion has resulted in Six Hills Cafe winning multiple culinary awards.
True to Melo’s past experience, Six Hills Cafe sources its ingredients from very select and local suppliers to ensure the quality of food exceeds expectations. Since opening it’s doors in 2012, Six Hills Cafe has been extremely well received and prides itself on customer reviews. It’s these testimonies that drive Melo and Six Hills Cafe, now and into the future.
its all about the food
The Six Hills Cafe menu, tells a story. Every ingredient has a history attached. The Pizza is created to the same standard as it is in Sicily, and with the same high quality ingredients. The chips are cooked in the same way as Melo’s uncle cooked them, and are even cut in the same way Melo’s mother cut them. Each of the dishes prepared at Six Hills Cafe is a combination of Melo’s history and experience, allowing a fine dining quality to homemade cooking.
June 2019
