Our Journalists

Kara MonssenFood and wine editor, digital producer

Kara Monssen is the Herald Sun’s food and wine editor and a digital news journalist. Kara reviews Victorian restaurants and wine and reports food news for the weekly Kitchen Confidential section. She is the Victorian editor of the annual delicious.100 restaurant guide. She also contributes lifestyle video content for the Herald Sun and delicious.

Kara Monssen

Latest

Food

Lucia South Melbourne. Picture: Supplied.

9 best Melbourne restaurant openings of 2024

In a whirlwind year of closures, Melbourne’s dining scene was also blessed with a slew of new openings. These are the best places to add to your eat list.

Food

Hold for Sat/Sun paper. Melbourne cook Alice Zaslavsky's veg-mas. Ex-MasterChef Australia star and cookbook author Alice Zaslavsky shares how to throw the ultimate Veg-Mas (Veggie Christmas). Picture: David Caird

How to host the ultimate plant-powered ‘Veg-mas’

Melbourne cook Alice Zaslavsky wants you to host the ultimate plant-powered Christmas lunch or dinner this festive season — and has a few hacks that’ll stop sad salads in their tracks.

Food

DJ Grant Smillie debuts new bar Marmont at Crown Melbourne. Grant, pictured with head chef Mark Tagnipez, with some dishes and drinks on offer overlooking the riverwalk/promenade. Picture: David Caird

Can a DJ be the ‘change agent’ for Crown’s restaurant revival?

DJ Grant Smillie says he can lead Crown Melbourne’s restaurant revival with his buzzy new day-to-night venue tipped to a celebrity hot spot this summer.

Food

Chef Tom Sarafian has revealed a new direction for his anticpated first restaurant, Zareh.

Dip king reveals exciting new direction for Zareh

After a “few ups and downs”, Melbourne dip king and star chef Tom Sarafian’s new restaurant project is taking shape — minus one notable hospitality group.

Food

Scarlett Bibby and Daniel Hassoun enjoying the atmosphere at Arbory Afloat's Capri on the yarra river which is among the hot new bars to check out this summer. Picture: Ian Currie

7 sizzling new bars where you should raise a glass this summer

Looking for places to escape the heat? Here are seven new must-try bars where you can knock back a few coldies while the sun’s out.

Food

Hotel Sorrento is launching a new rooftop in time for the summer season. Hotel Sorento director Myles Pitt and executive chef Beth Pitt raise a glass to good times. Picture: Kate Shanasy

Hotel Sorrento unveils sexy rooftop bar in time for Christmas

A breezy new rooftop bar is checking into Melbourne’s summertime playground this week — boasting impressive bay views, an ocean of seafood platters and champagne.

Food

$1 must-try Dandenong Market snack that won’t whack the wallet

Take your tastebuds on a world tour at the suburban stalwart market— and save top dollar on these 10 tasty lunch finds costing $10 or less.

Food

Title: Black Cat Truffles takeover Ballarat chef Liam Downes is making a tree change and moving to the country to takeover Black Cat Truffles. Plicture:Rob Leeson.

Shabby to chic: Ballarat chef reinvents Black Cat Truffles

A star Ballarat chef has transformed a shabby truffle farm into the ultimate foodie destination — complete with tours, degustations and brunches. And there’s more to come.

REVIEWFood

The Shared Table Buninyong. Picture: Matt Ray Photography.

Posh Buninyong restaurant’s ‘pub era’ is a genius move

When the pub closed down for renovations in this country town near Ballarat, a posh restaurant stepped up and the move is paying off in the food stakes.

Food

Restaurant Terrae has just opened at Hotel Ernest in Bendigo.

Pasta is king at Bendigo’s hot new Euro restaurant

The team behind Ballarat’s posh hotel restaurant Babae has just launched a more casual, “loosely European” all-day eatery in Bendigo where pasta is king.

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/journalists/kara-irving