“You Can’t Keep Me Away From Restaurants for Long”: Ursula’s Chef Phil Wood Joins Lucas Collective

There was an immediate response from the city, and many in the hospitality industry, when chef Phil Wood and his wife and business partner Lis Davies announced the closure of Ursula’s. Their charming butter-yellow dining room held its final service in May, and the pair have continued with their day-focused Woollahra venue Cafe Cressida. But Wood’s next role is here already: senior executive chef at Lucas Collective.

It’s one of Australia’s largest hospitality groups: a Melbourne-centric stable of more than 20 venues helmed by restaurateur Chris Lucas, which includes Chin Chin, Grill Americano, Kisume and Maison Batard. “You can’t keep me away from restaurants for long,” the chef shared on Instagram this morning. “I love this industry and the part it plays in the fabric of our society. After five years of running an independent restaurant, I knew I wanted my next role to offer a different kind of challenge and an opportunity to contribute to making our industry more professional.”

In March, he was candid about the realities of the hospitality industry today. “Running a small independent restaurant the way we believe it should be run has become increasingly difficult,” he shared. “With the lease coming to an end, it felt like the right moment to close this chapter.”

The celebrated chef previously held leadership roles at Pt Leo Estate on the Mornington Peninsula, along with Sydney institutions Rockpool Bar & Grill and Eleven Bridge. So he is well versed in the dynamics of a restaurant group – and highlights positives in his announcement.

“After dining at many of his beautiful restaurants, I could see that Chris is prepared to invest seriously in hospitality – in ambitious beverage programs led by highly skilled sommeliers, in professional waiters who have made service their career, and in kitchens where people stay and build long-term careers. It felt like a good fit.” 

To start, Wood will be in the Grill Americano kitchen, inside the historic Qantas House building in Sydney’s CBD. He’ll oversee the group’s large hospitality team and likely delve into its out-of-venue initiatives. “I’m particularly excited by the work of the Collective Foundation and its partnership with Monash Business School to develop a hospitality leadership program open to people across the industry. There is a lot to look forward to.”

Wood and Davies continue to own and operate Cafe Cressida independently.

@philacwood
@lucascollective
@grillamericano