SkyCity Adelaide’s Sol Rooftop restaurant goes in more ‘casual’ direction with popular chef

One of the city’s top restaurants has appointed its third head chef in two-and-a-half years, and its whole approach will change.

SkyCity Adelaide’s flagship restaurant, Sol Rooftop, has changed tack for a second time, appointing its third head chef in less than two years.

The level-nine restaurant, opened as part of SkyCity’s $330m expansion in 2020, has poached in-house chef Raj Kumar from the casino’s popular Madame Hanoi restaurant to steer Sol in a “more casual” direction. He takes over from Rhys Nicholson, who took over the reigns from top SA chef Kane Pollard in May 2022.

Sol Rooftop launched as a fine-dining concept with Pollard at the helm at the end of 2020. Its original dinner menu was a set selection of five or seven courses.

Raj Rumar is the new head chef at Sol Rooftop, inside SkyCity Adelaide’s Eos building. Picture: Kelly Barnes

SkyCity Signature Outlets Manager Jimmy Parham said Sol Rooftop would now offer “all occasion dining”.

“Feedback from Sol Rooftop customers is that they love the elevated dining experience, but they also want an accessible menu for pre and post concerts, sport and theatre in the precinct, particularly relating to Adelaide Oval and the Festival Centre events,” Mr Parham said.

While Fijian-born Kumar has demonstrated his strengths in Asian cuisine at Madame Hanoi for the past six years, his all-day menu at Sol will remain contemporary Australian.

“We are focused on local produce – there are tweaks of Asian but not too much,” Kumar said. “It will change every three months.

“We have a pork tomahawk from Boston Bay, that is a rare produce; KI marron, Mayura Station beef, Limestone Coast lamb.

Sol Rooftop’s original head chef Kane Pollard ahead of the restaurant’s launch at the end of 2020. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“It’s more casual dining that offers something for everyone. If you want to come for drinks and get a small dish, such as a confit chicken sandwich, you can do that.”

The restaurant has also introduced different dining experiences in recent months and weeks, including weekend high tea and bottomless brunch sittings, Thursday cocktail club and Sol supper club Friday-Saturdays from 10pm-1am.

“Items on the supper club menu include roasted cheese with honey and garlic, and limestone lamb cutlets,” Kumar said.

It’s understood former head chef Nicholson is pursuing a separate restaurant venture.