Sydney’s boutique hotel culinary wars: Brasserie 1930 brings in new chef to up the ante

Where do you find some of Sydney’s best restaurants? Right now, the battle for discerning tastebuds is playing out inside boutique, luxury hotels.

Brasserie 1930, main picture, has installed new head chef Troy Spencer, top left, as the boutique hotel restaurants wars heat up with newcomers like Lotties at The Eve in Surry Hills, top and bottom right. Pictures: Supplied

Years ago it might have been the high street. Now Sydney’s luxury boutique hotels have become the drawcard for Sydney’s best culinary figures.

The battle to have the biggest and best food names in the cities’ restaurants at boutique hotels is heating up: often the accommodation offering is marketed as secondary compared to who is serving up the food at the venue.

Last month, the hospitality group behind Bistecca and Alfie’s — Liquid and Larder — moved into Redfern’s newest hotel, The Eve.

They’ve opened the much-talked-about Mexican rooftop restaurant Lottie, with chef Alejandro Huerta in the kitchen, as well as Bar Julius.

Surry Hills’ The Ace hotel became the place to dine and try an anchovy Jatz cracker when Mitch Orr opened Kiln. Singer Rita Ora had a VIP party there to launch her hair care brand.

Lottie, a contemporary Mexican rooftop restaurant and Mezcaleria, on the rooftop of Redfern’s new The Eve Hotel Sydney.

Kiln Restaurant at Ace Hotel, Sydney, NSW. Photo: Nikki To/Supplied

Now, that restaurant is under the guidance of Copenhagen-based Australian chef Beau Clugston.

Alessandro Pavoni, of Ormeggio fame, has teamed up with the Manly Pacific and opened Cibaria at the start of the year.

Brasserie 1930s new head chef Troy Spencer (left) with Brett Savage (right). Picture: Supplied

Now, inner city five star hotel Capella is upping the ante at their Brasserie 1930.

The restaurant, inside the historic building that was formerly home to the Department of Education, opened two years ago, and is run by the esteemed The Bentley Restaurant Group, who have institution restaurant Bentley Bar and Restaurant inside the Radison Blue Plaza Hotel.

Now, Executive Chef and co-owner of the group, Brent Savage, has appointed a new head chef, Troy Spencer, to help evolve the restaurant into a luxe Australian brasserie.

Spencer comes from an elite culinary background, having worked at some of the world’s best kitchens including Pomme, Bistro Thierry and L’etoile.

Brasserie 1930 restaurant in Capella, Sydney. Photo: supplied by Capella

The restaurant is inside the Capella, Sydney, formerly The Department of Education building. Photo: supplied by Capella

Savage said people assume that because of the name of the restaurant, that it’s a French brasserie. However the two want to celebrate Australian luxury and have upped the ante adding more native Australian ingredients and flavours.

“It’s a natural evolution of the restaurant,” said Savage. “We want it to be a luxe experience, but in a casual way.”

Savage adds the drawcard for him to have a venue inside a hotel was the “support” the hotel can provide behind the scenes, like helping with recruitment of staff.

“That weight and support helps chefs and restaurateurs focus on what we do best, like the guest experience.”

To mark the new appointment, the hotel is throwing a celebratory media foodie dinner.