It was a suggestion by her former partner to open a wine bar in Valletta that brought her back to catering. The wine bar was followed by a restaurant in Pietà.

“At first, I objected but my hidden passion for hospitality was rekindled. Juggling life between a full-time job and managing the restaurant became quite challenging but I tried to cope well. Eventually, after a year of toing and froing, I decided to give up my job and took over the restaurant completely.

“I found myself running it all by myself and never looked back. Ristorante La Vela, in Pietà, is now my baby, my world, my passion,” Michelle Muscat admits.

She has quite a varied background, having served as Executive Officer at the Office of the Prime Minister, Personal Assistant to the Managing Director at the Salvo Grima Group and Assistant Financial Controller at the Arrigo Group of Hotels Ltd.

In 2019, Ms Muscat won the Food and Beverage Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Michelle Muscat’s motto: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do and to do it with a smile

More details on the company: lavelamalta.com

Get in touch: [email protected]

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