The fourth of five children to Jean and Frank Godenzi, Trevor was born in Traralgon, Victoria, Australia. His interest in cooking developed after leaving home at eighteen to work on an irrigation farm at Coleambally in the Riverina district of New South Wales. Having to cook for himself, Trevor quickly learnt some basic recipes that got him through, even then adapting them to suit his tastes.

Cooking took a backseat for many years while Trevor concentrated on several career moves until finally settling on work within the disability and aged care nursing sectors. Before long though, the cooking urge returned and in 2016 Trevor opened the Gaudenzi Wine Bar (now The Penny).

Six years later, Trevor no longer owns the wine bar, instead moving on to posting recipes in the online SBS Food recipe group. From that and his wine bar, the idea grew for this cookbook.