Where Chefs Eat: Six MFWF Visiting Chefs on Their Melbourne Bucket List Restaurants

The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival kicks off tomorrow. There are free snacks, an epic Baker’s Dozen event, and collabs and kitchen takeovers with some of the best culinary talent from around the world including Richard Hart of Copenhagen’s Hart Bageri and Anaïs Ca Dao van Manen of Yeshi Taiwanese Kitchen in Ho Chi Minh City. We know where they’re cooking, but we wanted to know where the visiting chefs will be eating while they’re in town.

Richard Hart

– Hart Bageri in Copenhagen and Green Rhino in Mexico City

I am keen to check out Caretaker’s Cottage for a cocktail – that cold Martini everybody keeps mentioning – before popping over to Reed House to see what fellow Brit Mark Hannell is sending out from the kitchen. I’m only hearing great things.

I’ll pop up to Vue de Monde’s Lui Bar for a glass or two, some snacks and to catch up with ex-Copenhagener and Noma mate Hugh Allen. Maybe from there, I’ll head to see my good friend Ben [Shewry] at Attica who I did a collab with last time I was at MFWF in 2016.

Maybe a cocktail and the prawn club at Apollo Inn, or the late-night hotdog if it is still on the menu.

I’ll have some bread with Mia and Mike [Russell] at Baker Bleu – come down to Caulfield North next weekend to see us all. A croissant at Lune. Embla, Tipo … too many to mention and not enough time.

Daniel Calvert

– Sézanne in Tokyo

I’m not sure how much time I will have, but I would love to check out Brae, of course, Tipo 00, Flower Drum and Cumulus Inc.

Vaughan Mabee

– Amisfield Restaurant in Queenstown

I kind of have a local in Melbourne and it’s Embla. I go there every time I’m in Melbourne – the staff I have got to know as well as the Jura on the menu. And Dave [Verheul]’s food is always on point. I love eating at Amaru and Vue de Monde and am super excited to eat at the Amaru and Florilège collab. Melbourne is a food city and I always come ready to eat!

Luke Findlay

– Supa Ya in London

First up has to be Reed House. I’ve been mates with Hannell for the last 10 years and worked with him for three of those, but I’ve never actually eaten his food, so I’m super excited to see what he’s doing.

Then, Three Blue Ducks has been on my radar for a while as Hannell worked for the group for years and we had lovely dinner with Andy Allen at St John in London when he was over. If the food is as nice as Andy is as a human then I’m in for a treat.

We were lucky enough to grab a table at Emerald City. I’m very excited to see a chef at the top of his game using indigenous food.

Last, but not least, has to be Capitano for Melbourne’s best pizza and some fun wines. I’m not really one for cocktail bars and fancy wine bars so take me down to your local for a decent Guinness.

Eduard and Stephanie Tscheppe

– Gut Oggau in Austria

Last time we were in Melbourne we really loved the coffee scene. We are excited to try out places like Market Lane, Aunty Peg’s as well as Cathedral Coffee and Lumen People who have both also been great supporters of the wine. Newer restaurants such as Bistra, Julie and Brico have all come highly recommended for their great wine lists focusing on great farming and paired with excellent food.

We have events planned through MFWF at iconic wine venues Embla, Bar Liberty and Old Palm Liquor, so can’t wait to check them out as well. For more casual, Soi 38 and a late-night feed at Supper Inn or Ling Nan will no doubt be on the itinerary.

Dreux Ellis

Gracias Madre in Los Angeles

As a long-time vegan and passionate plant-based chef, I will be focusing on the vibrant plant-based dining spots in Melbourne. I am very excited to eat at Shannon Martinez’s Smith & Daughters because it’s a plant-based Melbourne institution and I can’t wait to try Shannon’s food. I am also really looking forward to the farm-to-table collaboration event No Bull: A Celebration of Vegan Flavours at Maha East. I love the flavour profile of Middle Eastern cuisines and am always happy to support chefs supporting farmers.