New Hire: Atria’s Executive Chef Accidentally Set a Lobster on Fire – It’s Now His Favourite Dish

Atria , the restaurant on the 80th floor of The Ritz-Carlton, has jaw-dropping 360-degree views of Melbourne and beyond. But even with the city skyline, Port Phillip Bay and the Dandenong Ranges, one of the most exciting things to look at while you dine is the team working away in the kitchen.

Leading the team is new executive chef Paul Lewis, who took over the role from Michael Greenlaw, now group executive chef for Edition Group (formerly Nomad Group).

Throughout his nearly three-decade career, Lewis has worked primarily at resorts and hotels across Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia and The Maldives. His cooking philosophy is all about seasonal produce, which is why he’s particularly excited about this role. “What sets The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne apart from other hotels I’ve worked at is the incredible access we have to exceptional local and seasonal produce,” Lewis says. “Some of the finest ingredients and produce in the world are right here in our own backyard.”

We took five minutes to get to know Lewis and discover what he has in store for the sky-high restaurant.

Tell us about the kitchen set-up. How does it allow you to be creative and influence what you put on the menu?
The set-up gives us the creative freedom to craft every dish from start to finish exactly as we envision it.

Starting from the basement, we have a fully equipped butchery and seafood section that connects directly to our loading zone. This means that once fresh produce arrives each day, it can move immediately into food preparation with ease. On level one, there’s a spacious production and pastry kitchen, giving us the space and equipment to craft every element of our dishes with precision.
Then, on level 80, Atria’s semi-open kitchen brings everything together, allowing guests to witness the action firsthand. Our cold bar also enables chefs to interact directly with diners at the long bar, adding an immersive element to the experience.

Having dedicated spaces, equipment and a team with distinct skillsets in each area, allows us to operate at the highest level of quality. We can butcher in-house, dry-age meats, prepare ferments and pickles, and bring it all together seamlessly upstairs.

What changes are you making at Atria?
My personal philosophy when it comes to food is to master the fundamentals while presenting modern cuisine that honours tradition and heritage. With this approach, we’ve refined our focus to showcase the finest seasonal ingredients, which inspires our evolving seasonal menu.

Rather than updating the menu on a fixed schedule, we let the landscape of the finest ingredients guide us. Every change is intentional, ensuring the menu evolves naturally with the seasons rather than shifting for the sake of change.
I’ve worked to shape the menu so we make full use of the incredible equipment at our disposal. For instance, our open-fire grill and smoker had been underutilised, so I explored how we could pair the best seasonal produce with these tools, maximising both our kitchen and our team’s capabilities.

What’s a new dish you’re particularly proud of or excited about?
The lobster is undoubtedly one of my favourite dishes on the menu. It actually came about by chance when I once set a lobster on fire and discovered an incredible balance of smoke, sweetness and depth. That moment inspired the final dish where we wrap the lobster in paperbark and kombu, then bake it over an open fire. Once sealed, it’s briefly set alight in the coals before being extinguished, allowing it to steam, roast and smoke simultaneously. The result is tender, delicately perfumed meat, infused with the aroma of the paperbark. The dish is finished with a fermented tomato and whey sauce, finger lime, sea herbs and a mandarin paste, adding a bright, citrus lift that complements the depth of flavour. It’s a dish that’s delicate yet layered.

What are you excited to bring to the hotel in future?
I’m excited to continue championing our values of highlighting the finest seasonal produce, ensuring our menu will evolve with the seasons. That’s always been at the heart of my philosophy on food. I’m excited to keep discovering new producers and ingredients, especially as the seasons change, and to see how the menu naturally progresses as we move through summer and beyond. It’s difficult to predict what specific dishes we’ll have on the menu in three months from now, since it will be dependent on what’s best coming out of the land, and how we can harness that through a dish.

How does working in hotels differ today from when you first started?
When I began my career over 30 years ago, hotel dining in Australia was largely focused on convenience rather than culinary excellence. [A hotel restaurant was a] place to eat simply because it was attached to a hotel. That landscape has changed dramatically. Today, hotels like The Ritz-Carlton are becoming true dining destinations, attracting locals and travellers who come specifically for the dining experience. It’s exciting to be part of this evolution, where hotel restaurants are raising the bar for Australian dining.