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Mauro Callegari
There’s a particular kind of welcome you only find in places built slowly and with intent, and that’s exactly what I walked into at The Independent in Gembrook. Mauro Callegari has shaped this former mechanics’ garage into something unmistakably his; part restaurant, part gathering place, part expression of a life spent cooking and travelling across…
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Franck Sammut at Upper Middle
I sat down with Franck Sammut, the quietly charismatic force behind Upper Middle in South Melbourne, a new baguette‑and‑pizza spot that already feels like a neighbourhood favourite. Franck has spent his whole life in hospitality, from working in his dad’s restaurant as a teenager to decades on the floor in some of Melbourne’s most iconic…
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Justin North at The Angel Of Malvern
There’s a lovely kind of magic when an old neighbourhood pub finds its heartbeat again, and that’s exactly what’s happened at The Angel of Malvern. After three quiet years, the doors are open, the locals are back, and the buzz is real. Downstairs it’s all about elevated pub classics done properly: brined schnitties, light calamari,…
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Liam Lee at Ronin Omakase
On a wet, gloomy Melbourne day, Ronin Omakase was unexpectedly warm. Despite its concrete walls, brutalist lines and high ceilings, the room is inviting with shelves lined with house made ferments; persimmon for desserts, wombok and white kimchi, citrus cheong and fruit vinegars quietly developing behind the counter. Liam Lee cooks directly in front of ten diners,…
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Viveik Vinohoran at Dutch Rules Distilling Co.
This week I got the train to Mitcham to visit Dutch Rules Distilling Co., a retro‑styled bar, working distillery and sat down with rising star chef Viveik Vinohoran, this year’s Young Chef of the Year. Surrounded by vinyl records, warm timber, and the quiet hum of a still out back, Viveik talked about shaping a…
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Michael Conlon at O’Connell’s Hotel
When I sat down with Michael Conlon at O’Connell’s in South Melbourne, the paint was still fresh. There’s been a substantial refresh. New carpet, new upholstery, commissioned artworks, and a dining room that feels intentionally set apart. More like a restaurant you arrive at, even though you’ve come through the pub. But the bigger shift is…
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Matt Forbes at Cobb Lane
I visited Matt Forbes at Cobb Lane’s Yarraville headquarters, where he reflected on the long path from his early years in some of the UK’s most exacting kitchens to building a Melbourne bakery that’s grown from a single 25‑kilo bag of flour to seven or eight tonnes a week. He talked about stepping away from…
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Apoorva Kunte at The Westin Melbourne
I always enjoy catching up with chefs to hear how they’re going, what they’re learning, and how their craft is evolving. And every couple of years, that brings me back to The Westin Melbourne to sit down with Executive Chef Apoorva Kunte. In the five years he’s been leading the hotel’s kitchens, he’s become known…
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Matt McConnell at Bar Lourinhã
When you talk to Matt McConnell about food, hospitality and Bar Lourinhã, there is a quiet certainty and warmth that comes through immediately. Twenty years is a long time to do anything well, and Bar Lourinhã has done it with quiet confidence. Matt approaches this milestone with equal parts pride, humility and curiosity. A long, wandering…
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James Gallagher at Enbarr
I sat down with James Gallagher at Enbarr on a lovely autumn afternoon. We talked about mythology, Irish foodways, and the arc of his life in this building; a pub he worked in for years and has now come full circle to own. Once we’d finished talking, I was lucky enough to eat the food…