Mark LaBrooy, one of the original trio behind the sprawling Three Blue Ducks empire, has flown the coop. The chef, cookbook writer and food broadcaster has taken a senior role at The Boathouse Group.

LaBrooy confirmed he has stepped away from an operational role at The Ducks, but retains his stake in the hospitality business that started as a cafe in Bronte and now includes food operations at The Farm Byron Bay, a Melbourne outpost and a recently opened restaurant in Bellingen, on the mid-north coast of NSW.

A chance meeting with management at The Boathouse alerted LaBrooy to an upcoming project that will see The Boathouse Wollongong open mid-year at the North Wollongong Surf Life Saving Club.

The one-time Tetsuya’s chef continued to reside in Austinmer, outside Wollongong, during the Ducks’ 14-year expansion, and has long harboured an interest in opening a venue locally.

“When I saw the [North Wollongong] location the hairs on the back of my neck stood up,” he says. “When they asked if I’d like to be involved, it got me really excited. I’ve been waking up in the morning, bouncing out of bed to write menus.”

Part of the attraction for LaBrooy was the team The Boathouse Group has assembled, with Merivale managers Antony Jones and Ben Collis lured across last year, Jones as Boathouse Group chief executive and Collis as head of commercial and marketing.

Jones described LaBrooy’s involvement as “an enormous coup for us”.

LaBrooy will also be involved in a wider role across the stable of waterfront Boathouse restaurants, which stretch from Patonga to Rose Bay.

“His [LaBrooy’s] approach and philosophy to food aligns perfectly with our beautiful waterside venues,” Jones says. “We are incredibly excited to have Mark involved in our plans.”