Karen Martini opens Hero at ACMI at Federation Square

Karen Martini is confident is ready to feed returning workers and visitors in CBD when she opens Hero at ACMI this week.

Karen Martini in her new restaurant Hero opening at the refurbished ACMI. Picture: Alex Coppel

Karen Martini is confident Melbourne’s CBD will rebound from its COVID-caused coma.

“I put a lot of faith in the city, in us moving forward in a big way in the CBD. We will strive, we will return in some way, shape or form, to be that crazy metropolis that we love of food and wine,” she says.

“People will come back to the city, especially being around Federation Square.

“My heart beats for Melbourne’s hospitality industry. We should be proud of what we have, not what we had.”

Karen Martini with Hospitality M managing director Michael Gebran at Hero. Picture: Alex Coppel.

The celebrity chef will realise a long-held ambition when she opens her first CBD restaurant called Hero next week.

The “all day eating house” is part of the $40 million, two-year refurbishment of the Australian Centre for Moving Image at Federation Square, which opens on Feb 11.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to have a CBD restaurant, but be careful what you wish for, didn’t think I’d get one on this scale,” she says.

“It’s going to be a ride, let me tell you, to get this machine up and running.”

Martini’s new company Hospitality M – with husband Michael Sapountsis and Michael Gebran (ex The Grounds of Alexandria, Sydney) – is looking after all hospitality outlets at the new ACMI, with Martini designing the food served in the restaurant, events spaces, “old school cinema kiosk”, and takeaway outlet.

“It’s fascinating what (the new ACMI) has on offer, it’s a very immersive experience. It’s stupendously good, really exciting and a drawcard for all ages.”

Karen Martini will open her first CBD restaurant at ACMI in Feb

Martini says Hero will offer “food that’s familiar, food that I like to eat”.

Simple breakfasts of toasted almond granola, grilled mortadella panini and croque monsieurs will segue into an all-day menu offered from 11.30am until late at night.

Martini’s signature approachable, Mediterranean-influenced style shines through a menu including such dishes as roast chicken with plum mostardo, buffalo mozzarella with peach and pickled onion, and baccala fritte with lemon.

“I’ve had to think about the menu, for visitors to town, or people who don’t dine out often, (so they) feel comfortable having a beautiful meatball sandwich, or some crumbed fish with crispy iceberg, soft bread and beautiful tartare. I’d eat that for lunch, I often do!”

Acclaimed restaurant designer Chris Connell is responsible for the look of the 150-seat restaurant that draws inspiration from Jacques Tati’s 1967 film PlayTime, with added outdoor seating for 90 people.

Martini with fellow chefs Nicky Riemer (left) and Lauren Eldridge who cooked for the 2019 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival’s World’s Longest Lunch. Picture: David Caird

Martini says a lack of experienced staff remains a key issue for the hospitality industry.

“Staffing has been such a challenge, so I’ve been very hands on making everything. I haven’t been able to hire very experienced chefs, (so) I’m hiring on attitude, their interest in good food. You can teach anyone with the right attitude,” she says.

Martini joins other high-profile chefs who have opened new restaurants in the CBD in the past few months, including Andrew McConnell with Gimlet and Scott Pickett with Chancery Lane.