Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2023 i Gourmet Traveller

SUBSCRIBE NOW magshop.com.au/gmt Details p124 Is there any word more evocative than golden? I’d argue, not. To be golden is to be perfectly content and satiated. In food terms, golden is the most delicious colour – from ripe fruit to perfectly crisp pastry. Or, as we celebrate in this month’s cover feature, the molten lava of melted cheese. Golden hour is the time when the world is at its most beautiful – and increasingly the most affordable. Across Australia, leading restaurants are introducing golden hour specials in what we have coined “the winter of democratic fine dining”. You can read more about that in our Luxe for Less feature on page 88. To me, the word golden evokes warmth and joy. It is something to bask in. Which is what we…

SYDNEY Crown Street has welcomed what is perhaps Sydney’s first Sri Lankan wine bar with the opening of Kurumba. “The idea has been there since we opened up The Fold and we had customers asking us to open up for dinner,” says co-owner Travin De Hoedt. Dividing his time between being the executive pastry chef at Franca and his family-run now-closed café The Fold, De Hoedt will be joined by his father, brother and wife, who are chefs as well, while his mother is front of house. “We’re taking Sri Lankan street food as inspiration and putting it into a contemporary wine bar concept,” says De Hoedt. One dish they are working on is inspired by kottu, a curried rice and roti dish. “We’ve taken that street food flavour profile…

The Lounge Built in 2019 as part of its $840 million renovation of Los Angeles Airport, United Airlines’ fifth Polaris lounge offers its business-class international travellers a 1115-square-metre pre-flight sanctuary. Graze on breakfast omelettes, signature brioche burgers and chocolate chip skillet cookies. There are also wall-mounted wine cabinets, rainfall shower suites and two quiet suites with day beds. The Seat The Polaris business class seats fully extend to lie flat, and are completed with Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, plus Away-branded amenities case with skin treats from Texas-based skincare brand Sunday Riley. For flights 12 hours or more, you’ll also get fleece-lined slippers and marle pyjamas. The Food From nostalgic ice-cream sundaes to a creamy tomato soup with Vegemite-cheese toastie, Sydney-LAX Polaris passengers enjoy an excellent combo of Americana-meets-Australiana snacks across…

CHAPPY’S BAKED HAM & MUSTARD Crafted by an ex-Movida and Quay chef, these Melbourne-made kettle chips offer flavours that are nostalgic in essence but forward-thinking in execution. Each chip is light but maintains a solid crunch factor. The baked ham edition balances sweetness and smoke with hints of horseradish and white pepper. $6.50 for 80gm, chappysnacks.com.au BONILLA A LA VISTA PATATAS FRITAS This Spanish-made chippy is moreish and well salted. Given the decent size and seasoning, they are an excellent vehicle for crème fraîche and caviar; or to serve with Spanish snacks such as pickled mussels or jamón. For a supersized treat, these also come in a collector tin format, which is a great shout for parties. $11 for 150gm, culinaryclub.com.au BRETS AU FROMAGE DU JURA The French are masters…

This country is so much better, deeper and richer for having Amar Singh’s illuminating presence, his big heart and meaningful, powerful daily action. I have experienced the very best of humanity at local charity, Addison Road Community Organisation in Marrickville, in Sydney. It’s where a multitude of community members and leaders regularly come together to help tackle food poverty and advocate for human rights, Singh being one of them. He and his Turbans 4 Australia team regularly volunteer at Addison Road, packing and collecting food hampers to deliver to those in need. Singh, in my view, continuously puts others’ needs first. There’s a saying in Sikhism, “Sarbat da bhala.” It means, “Welfare of all.” And for Amar Singh, it’s a way of life. “As a kid, I was taught to…

Open Bar Heather’s leather-bound drinks list and you’ll be greeted with the words “we love wines and these wines we love most” printed on its opening page. It’s an alluring promise given the team behind the ebullient Byron Bay venture has been responsible for bringing some of the world’s most celebrated natural wines into Australia. James Audas and Tom Sheer have shuttled hooch into many of the country’s coolest eateries under their Lo-Fi Wines banner. Similarly they are behind Byron’s Luna Wine Store, so it’s no surprise that the pair’s first wine bar makes a priority of getting a drink in your hand. Only once you’ve chosen from the voluminous list, originally curated by sommelier Ollie Smith (now executed by Isabel Perez Fiz), packed with natural, organic and sustainably crafted…

FAMILY SPIRIT When DNA Distillery co-founders James Projcevski and Monique Sutevski decided to make rakija, they looked to their dedo (grandfather), whose recipe was so popular in his village that people travelled on foot to try it. Rakija is an Eastern European spirit distilled from fermented fruit. In addition to the straight spirit, the cousins teamed up with Marrickville’s Baba’s Place to create canned Rakija & Tonic using Australian shiraz. From $29 for four, dnadistillery.com ODDLY SATISFYING Now open in Melbourne, Odd Culture Fitzroy completes the southern migration of Sydney’s Odd Culture crew. Located in the heritage former Brunswick Street post office, the drink-in bottle shop already feels at home thanks to a sharp focus on natural wine and wild ale. Fermented thrills include a Sour Negroni made with the…

Known in Portuguese as pastel de nata or pastel de Belém, these moreish pastries have origins in monasteries but have become world renowned. With iterations found in Brazil, Goa and Macau as a result of Portuguese colonisation, the tarts also crop up in Japanese cuisine as a result of 16th-century trading. The original tart was said to be created by Catholic monks in Lisbon. Egg whites were used in large quantities to starch religious clothing, and the leftover egg yolks make cakes and pastries, like the pastel de Belém. In this recipe we’ve added honey for a sweet pop, but this can be omitted. The tarts can be served with a dusting of cinnamon over the top too. QUICK PUFF PASTRY 200 gm lightly salted butter, softened225 gm plain flour,…

VIC CLOVER, MELBOURNE It’s a crowded horse race, the Melbourne wine bar scene, and currently one of the city’s most exciting. Clover is the poster child for why. Part of Richmond’s increasingly impressive food offer, Clover starts with a constantly morphing list of wine adept at pulling together great wine makers from all points of the spectrum. Libations are combined with clean-lined food, which is often fire-licked and fermented, and a service style that completely gets whether it should stay or go. In short: A benchmark sign of the times. QLD BAR FRANCINE, BRISBANE It’s not often a venue pops up that’s exactly what the city needs. That’s how Adrienne Jory and Rick Gibson’s Bar Francine feels. Housed in a charming old Queenslander, it’s relaxed, jovial and nothing short of…

NSW ICEBERGS DINING ROOM AND BAR, SYDNEY Hung on walls all across the world right now, are a bevvy of blown-up photographs of Bondi’s Icebergs pool. And on the cliff above this picture-perfect seascape Icebergs Dining Room and Bar is iconic all on its own. The blue-hued restaurant has been serving locals and visitors alike for more than 20 years – launching the careers of chefs Karen Martini and Monty Koludrovic and now shining a light on Alex Prichard who brings his fresh approach to seafood-centred Italian. All proof there’s so much more to this Bondi institution than the views – and the views are sensational. In short: Twenty years of thrills. SA STAR OF GREECE, FLEURIEU PENINSULA After 10 years of giving the people of South Australia exactly what…

LUNCH SPECIALS AND SET MENUS Quay Experience an abridged version of Peter Gilmore’s famous Quay menu with the special four-course dining experience, Quay to Lunch. Available every weekend until the end of September, $205 will get you a seat at one of the country’s best restaurants and those magical harbour views. quay.com.au Kuro Dinner at this Japanese fine-diner is a three-figure affair but on Fridays and Saturdays it throws open its door for lunch, where two courses costs just $45, with choices such as kingfish sashimi with yuzu kosho ponzu as entrée and full-blood wagyu beef with crisp potato for mains. kurosydney.com Lana The Italian-ish restaurant at Hinchcliff House offers an excellent express lunch menu on Thursdays and Fridays for $69, which will buy you three snacks and a choice…

GLOW UP Timber, brass and concrete radiate warmth in an architectural kitchen. GOLDEN YEARS Marble meets mirror in a chic melting pot of timeless luxury. HOME INSPIRATION…

Shark FlexStyle Hair Styler Getting restaurant ready just got easier with this all-in-one cool-air hair dryer and styler. This golden appliance comes with five styling attachments so you can curl, smooth or volumise hair in a hot minute. harveynorman.com.au Tommy’s Limoncello In case you haven’t heard, limoncello is having a moment and we’re happy to jump on the bandwagon with this delicious Melbourne-made liqueur. tommysbooze.com.au Wiser Than Me Julia Louis-Dreyfus celebrates the wisdom of older women in this delightful podcast series, speaking to everyone from Jane Fonda and Carol Burnett to Fran Lebowitz and Ruth Reichl. Saturday Night Pasta Elizabeth Hewson’s premium pasta packs are back in stock with a fresh batch of her Home Base Sauce and Dirty Martini Sauce available to purchase now. Buono! saturdaynightpasta.com.au…

Coming from a pastry background, how did you get into cooking? I came to Melbourne to study pastry. Then I was a pastry chef for eight years. I worked at Hare and Grace, the Lake House and Pei Modern. Then I was given the opportunity to cook at a wine bar in Fitzroy. That’s when I realised I really enjoyed cooking. I find a lot of chefs don’t understand the technicality of pastry – it’s really helped me with my critical thinking. Cooking is more about feeling and micro adjustments. Whereas pastry has to be prepared, it’s a science and it’s precise. Your Brunswick East kitchen-bar set-up at Bahama Gold is tiny but mighty – how does working in a small space push you creatively? Everything has to have a…

1 Dolce & Gabbana, San Domenico Palace The DG Resort project has taken over hotels and pools across the Med, but it’s particularly beautiful at this Taormina poolside location. Dolce & Gabbana’s signature Blu Mediterraneo pattern adorns the deck chairs of this Sicilian hotel pool, complementing the ultimate dolce vita lifestyle. dolcegabbana.com 2 Louis Vuitton at the Mandarin Oriental Bodrum Mediterranean style already flows through the Mandarin Oriental Bodrum and now it’s amplified with the arrival of Louis Vuitton’s pop-up store and redo of the resort’s Blue Beach Club and Bar. The redesign calls upon the latest collection’s colour palette with nods to local architecture. mandarinoriental.com 3 Dior at the Beverly Hills Hotel To mark Dior’s Dioriviera summer capsule collection LA’s much-loved pink hotel has been transformed with a poolside…

Before I was born, my mum and her family moved from a small village in the Philippines that’s really well regarded for their food, so I grew up totally obsessed with Filipino food. My all-time favourite dish cooked by them from their village is called sinigang, which is a really sour soup. It’s just so good. I loved it in childhood and still now, not only because it’s delicious, but because it reminds me of home. My mum was so sweet, because she knew how nervous I was on the first day of Miss Saigon rehearsals, that she actually packed me sinigang for my lunch. On set, everyone is so much more experienced than I am, so having that little piece of home and comfort on that first day was…

The first three courses you eat with your hands, then you go to the pub. It’s possibly not the script everybody would expect from one of the country’s most lauded and expensive ($720 for two, before a glance at the drinks list) restaurants. But it represents classic current-era Attica, where owner-chef Ben Shewry includes big learning moments (particularly with native Australian ingredients, Indigenous culture and sustainable agriculture) but also makes the 10-plus courses both fun and funny. He never forgets the deliciousness part of the equation either, which is why we’re still paying attention to this semi-suburban spot almost two decades after it opened. So, to those hands-on and pub courses. First is a series of six snacks that include adorable cartoon flower-shaped wafers with an Ooray plum jam centre…

Add Passing Clouds to your itinerary when you next visit Victoria’s Macedon Ranges. The cellar door (open seven days) and outdoor tasting space has had a facelift, including the newly renovated dining space overlooking the estate’s cool climate chardonnay and pinot noir vineyards. Owners Cameron and Marion Leith are devoted to bio-dynamic and regenerative agricultural practices and you can literally hear the property and kitchen garden buzz with life. This is reflected in the shared lunch offering (available Thursday to Monday) which kicks off with a chef’s selection of share plates ranging from vitello tonnato, to house-cured and smoked salmon with kohlrabi and beetroot remoulade, and horseradish from the kitchen garden. Head chef Cameron McKenzie has a thing for cooking over charcoal so mains, including five-day brined chicken, get the…

The Irish Coffee’s origin story begins in the mid-1940s at Foynes Airport, outside of Limerick in western Ireland. It was a damp, chilly evening and, as a thoughtful gesture, chef-cum-bartender Joe Sheridan is said to have whipped up a whiskey and coffee concoction for a group of Americans stepping off a Pan Am flying boat. When asked by one of the passengers whether the bevy in question was a Brazilian coffee, Sheridan allegedly christened the cocktail then and there, replying: “It’s Irish coffee.” While the traditional recipe typically involves a nip of Irish whiskey, hot coffee, sugar syrup and whipped cream, it’s a drink that can easily be dialled up several notches with a few extra tweaks. Michael Keogh, co-owner and general manager of Memphis Slim’s House of Blues in…

2021 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, Canberra District, $110 An epiphany and source of pride when abroad, strongly suggesting that Australia could make more savoury expressions of shiraz than the yeomen from warmer zones. It’s no wonder, given maker Tim Kirk’s affection for Côte-Rötie, a bastion of finesse, soaring florals and juicy acidity. 2020 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River, $150 You may remember it from Golden Century’s Lazy Susan, or from Aussie treasures at our top restaurants. Leeuwin’s been around! Yet never better than today. Margaret River’s peaches and cream a subtle backdrop. Creamed cashew, too. A saline furl of tension, the mainstay. 2017 Château Du Tertre 5me Cru Classé, Margaux, $115 A stalwart of Bordeaux’s Classification of 1855, lying within cooee of Château Margaux. A violet drift across the…

VIC ALTA TRATTORIA, MELBOURNE A group of young industry professionals with impressive CVs and a shared love for the food, wine and restaurant philosophy of north-west Italy decide to open a trattoria in Melbourne and absolutely nailed the brief. But Alta is no theme park or period piece; it takes all the best regional-seasonal-ingredient-driven aspects of the classic and translates those perfectly to a Fitzroy side-street context, accompanied by a beautifully collated wine list, exemplary service and enthusiasm-driven energy. In short: Piedmont in Fitzroy. NSW CLAM BAR, SYDNEY There’s nothing new about oysters Rockefeller, prawn cocktail or grilled rib-eye with Diane sauce. But at Clam Bar – Dan Pepperell, Michael Clift and Andy Tyson’s raucous, retro and altogether fabulous big-city grill – everything’s freshened up with an abundance of flair.…

TAS HOMESTEAD RESTAURANT, PIERMONT RETREAT, SWANSEA Tasmania’s startlingly gorgeous east coast is the failsafe backdrop to a meal at Piermont Retreat’s Homestead Restaurant, but the view is not left to do all the heavy lifting. The Scandi-minimal, light-filled space might direct the eye out to the landscape but the food, much of it sourced from nearby growers, allows you to taste it too in the form of oysters or cheese, duck or saltbush. Pro tip? For optimum enjoyment, book a guest cottage and stay the night. In short: Eat the landscape. VIC UNDERBAR, BALLARAT There was never a reason not to visit the original incarnation of chef Derek Boath’s Ballarat dégustation restaurant. His always impressive, often-brilliant flavour combinations and starry CV (New York’s Per Se) were always reason enough. But…

LUNCH SPECIALS AND SET MENUS Etta The wave-making East Brunswick bistro’s new Saturday lunch service offers a relaxed way to experience the killer combo of Rosheen Kaul’s food and Hannah Green’s service smarts. Expect seafood towers with a Southeast Asian bent – grilled arrow squid skewers with lemon balm and calamansi lime sauce, and king prawns in fermented chilli butter – plus its spiritual soulmate, Champagne. ettadining.com.au Society A democratic peek into one of Melbourne’s most glamorous – and expensive – fine-dining restaurants, the Society Social lavish lunchtime set-price menu is not short of theatrics. It kicks off with crudites and the next-level house-made bread and butter, follows it with a dazzling selection of snacks and a main and reaches a fitting crescendo with a dessert trolley manned by white-gloved…

Twice-baked goat’s cheese, Manchego, and chive soufflé SERVES 6 //PREP TIME 15 MINS //COOK 55 MINS (PLUS COOLING) Featuring Manchego that has been aged for 12 months, and goat’s cheese, this soufflé is rich in flavour and technique. “At this age the Manchego has intense, nutty and buttery characteristics,” says Simon Johnson’s cheese expert, Victoria Lush. 100 gm unsalted butter, chopped, plus extra melted, for greasing100 gm (⅔ cup) plain flour500 ml (2 cups) milk, warmed1 tsp Dijon mustard80 gm soft goat’s cheese100 gm finely grated 12-month Manchego, plus extra to serve2 tsp finely chopped chives4 eggs, separated180 ml (¾ cup) pouring cream ASPARAGUS SALAD 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, shaved½ cup each chervil and small flat-leaf parsley leaves½ cup chopped chives2 tbsp lemon juice1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Micro red-vein…

Visit its many uncrowded beaches, take in its temples and ancient monuments, wander through its verdant tea-planted hill country. There is so much beauty and abundance in Sri Lanka, but the teardrop-shaped island has suffered more than its share of misfortune. The 2004 tsunami, which claimed 30,000 lives, the 26-year civil war, the Easter 2019 bombings, and last year’s economic crisis, which saw scenes of peaceful protests at the Presidential palace, have all had a severely dampening effect on tourism over the past two decades. And yet, you would not have an inkling of this now as you cycle down its shady lanes, visit its many uncrowded beaches, take in its temples and ancient monuments, wander through its verdant tea-planted hill country, or take a thrilling safari in its eastern…

DRINK On Canon Drive is bar/restaurant/food hall Wally’s, an A-lister’s mecca for its 8000-plus wine and spirits cellar, cocktails, charcuterie boards and wood-fired pizze. Dark green panelling, crimson booths and a killer cocktail list make Tatel, backed by star players Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Nadal, a seductive proposition for sophisticated bar hoppers. Sur Le Vert brings an emerald-hued bar gem to Beverly Canon Gardens with Euro pours from its global-roaming wine list. STAY Universally recognised as the Pretty Woman hotel, the Beverly Wilshire is a fairytale setting. Walking through its golden doors, its marble lobby, sparkling Swarovski crystal chandelier and floral centrepiece are fitting embellishments for the city’s grande dame. Once home to Hollywood stars Elvis Presley and Warren Beatty, its proximity to Rodeo Drive is a drawcard for luxe…

Inspired by Hotel Café Royal, London…

Bar Francine, Brisbane Don’t let these little imposter desserts fool you – they’re actually savoury French toasts topped with a piped dollop of umami-rich mushroom parfait. The perfect entrée to an evening of wining and dining at West End’s groovy Queenslander-convert, Bar Francine. Charlotte Wishart, editorial coordinator The Aubrey, Hong Kong Sitting 25 floors above Hong Kong’s ever-bustling city, The Aubrey impresses with its whimsical entrance, Victoria Harbour views, omakase cocktail experience and on-point Japanese snacks. No wonder it’s one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. Cordelia Williamson, digital editor Eleven Madison Park at Aria, Sydney There’s one thing I was sure of heading into Daniel Humm’s Aria takeover: caviar is not vegan. The silky tonburi seeds in this perfect avocado, though, made me think twice. Fava bean and mint round…

TICKETS ON SALE NOW Set sail for a first taste of Sydney’s hotly anticipated opening Martinez, the new harbourside eatery from House Made Hospitality (Hinchcliff House, Promenade Bondi Beach). Led by executive chef Alex Wong (Lana) and head chef Andrea Sonnante (Fratelli Paradiso), this multi-venue Quay Quarter flagship brings to life the lighter style of southern French cuisine found in Provence and Nice through to Corsica. Join us as Sydney’s newest hotspot opens its doors for an exclusive evening hosted by Gourmet Traveller editor Joanna Hunkin and Oceania Cruises. In the spirit of new adventures that encapsulates Oceania Cruises’ culinary program, chef Alex Wong will take us on a culinary journey through Southern France across four courses with flowing wines to match. This special GT reader event brings to life…

Lemons are the sourest of fruits, and yet the most versatile. Which other fruit can lend its flavour to such a variety of sweet and savoury dishes alike? The lemon’s origins are uncertain. We know it is a hybrid involving the bitter orange (itself a hybrid of the pomelo and the mandarin), and the citron from India and Southeast Asia. The citron and bitter orange probably first met in northern India. It is possible that some kind of ancestral lemon first appeared there. However, its refinement into the elliptical yellow fruit we know today most likely occurred in the Mediterranean basin. Interestingly, Chinese authors wax lyrical about the orange and other citrus fruits, but remain shtum on the lemon until the 12th century, several centuries after it was already reported…

Where did you grow up? I was born In Albany in the Great Southern, but most of my youth was spent by the coast just north of Capel in the Geographe wine region. Idyliic. What led you to wine? My father is a winemaker, so is my uncle, and most of our close family friends are involved in wine. After a childhood in wine, I “rebelled” by racing in lots of triathlons and completing a commerce degree. After I finished uni, I got a call from Dad who had a friend looking for staff for vintage in Bordeaux. I quit my job, left WA, and fell back in love with wine during those warm days of vintage in France. Everything made sense again; I enjoyed the camaraderie, the common drive…

Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey Maturation in double-charred Bourbon barrels intensifies the nuttiness and creamy vanilla sweetness in this easy-drinking yet complex Jameson. $80 for 700ml nicks.com.au The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey Notes of marzipan, honeycomb and walnuts dominate thanks to four years spent in Oloroso Sherry butts. Smooth and built for cocktails. $75 for 700ml vintagecellars.com.au Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey Teeling’s flagship blend gets finished in Central American rum casks, resulting in pronounced flavours of baking spices and dried tropical fruit. $72 for 700ml bws.com.au…

VEGETARIAN GLUTEN FREE DAIRY FREE Parsnip, cauliflower and truffle soup SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 25 MINS 30 gm butter, coarsely chopped1 small leek, thinly sliced1 garlic clove, finely chopped2 sprigs each sage and thyme500 gm cauliflower, chopped finely, small leaves reserved250 gm parsnips, chopped finely500 ml (2 cups) each milk and vegetable stock100 gm creme fraiche2½ tbsp white truffle oil, plus extra for drizzlingFinely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon PARSNIP CHIPS Vegetable oil, for deep-frying1 large parsnip, thinly sliced 1 Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook leek, garlic and herbs, stirring occasionally until softened (4-5 minutes). 2 Add cauliflower, parsnip, milk, stock and 250ml water. Season to taste, cover with a lid, bring to the boil, then uncover and…

WA BLAZE YOUNG, NIEUW RUIN Get the roly-poly prawn toasts. Get the tuna crudo with black fig and sesame oil. Get the curried fries. Get it all if you dare. At carefree Freo wine bar Nieuw Ruin, Blaze Young is cooking some of the west’s most intriguing, retro-leaning food and making it fiendishly easy to stay for one more. Best of all, she’s also overseeing the cooking at new Northbridge bar Edward & Ida’s, giving eaters even more opportunities to scope an emerging star on the rise. In short: Nieuw-school old-school. QLD LAUREN KINNE, ADELITA WINE BAR Originally from Tasmania, chef Lauren Kinne moved to Brisbane after completing her apprenticeship. Stints at top restaurants followed, with her most recent position as sous chef of the closed fine-diner, Elska. Now based…

SA ALMA PASALIC, RESTAURANT BOTANIC Alma Pasalic’s family moved from Bosnia to Australia as refugees in the mid ’90s. In her role as restaurant manager at Restaurant Botanic, resilience, storytelling and connection seem to come easy. Her descriptions of dishes verge on transcendental. Pasalic lives for delivering what she calls “eyebrow raising” moments; whether that’s presenting a knockout cocktail, helping to build the Temperance drink menu, or remembering the finer details a guest shared on their last visit. In short: An unwavering pursuit of excellence. ACT DASH RUMBLE, PILOT, SUCH AND SUCH Dash Rumble has a clear vision of what good service looks and feels like. You can see it in her disarming smile when she opens the door at Pilot. Or in the easy-going way she talks you through…

The best restaurateurs are excellent at reading the moment; giving the people what they want even before they want it. And this point in time belongs to tighter budgets. This reality bites hard as corporate entertainment spends are capped and cost of living increases. Of course, classic three-course meals and dégustations will always have their place, but increasingly, diners are looking for more entry points to the establishments they love. They want snacks at the bar, set lunch menus, and generous golden hours. They want it with finesse, knowing the cash they are parting with is money well spent. As ever, hospitality is about being hospitable and some of Sydney and Melbourne’s best industry minds are tailoring their menus to oblige. As Tristan Rosier, founder of Jane in Surry Hills,…

Dinner parties aren’t about showing off, they’re about sharing, about setting the scene for good times.” This is the home entertaining bible according to Vicki Wild. The celebrated maitre d’ and her top chef partner Martin Benn are almost as renowned for the parties they host at their home as the splash they made together at Sydney’s Sepia restaurant. Their new book The Dinner Party is the playbook for some of their real-life dinner parties. Evenings that are deconstructed and relayed down to the finest detail, from playlists to platters and, of course, the menu planning. Every detail heightens the drama says Benn, “As hosts, you build the magic like a stage manager, setting a scene in which people can relax, but also be excited by what’s to come.” The…

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