Melbourne’s food A-list: The who’s who in our city’s restaurant game
From talented chefs, TV hosts and business power players — these are the biggest names in Melbourne’s food scene.
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In the city home to Australia’s best restaurants (sorry, not sorry, Sydney), these are the biggest names in Melbourne’s food scene.
From talented chefs, TV hosts and entrepreneurs — this is your ultimate cheat sheet to the movers and shakers of the food, drink and hospitality world.
SCOTT PICKETT
It seemed like the chef and restaurant king opened a new venue a minute into lockdown. Shortly after opening fine diner Chancery Lane, he pulled Melbourne stalwart Longrain from the brink, opened Parisian-inspired Smith St Bistrot and took over the culinary charge at revamped The Hotel Continental in Sorrento and opened its flagship restaurant, Audrey’s.
MELISSA LEONG
MasterChef Australia judge, food critic and Gold Logie nominee — all-round talent and overachiever Melissa Leong is undeniably part of Melbourne’s food royalty. After joining the new-look judging line-up on the reality cooking show, Leong’s star has continued to soar. This year she could become the second person of colour in history to win television’s top prize, the Gold Logie.
MATT PRESTON
Eccentric, intelligent and loveable TV personality, author and food writer Matt Preston is a firm figure in Melbourne’s food scene. He spent more than a decade on our TV screens as the cravat-wearing MasterChef Australia judge and is now a long-term delicious. editor and this year joined ABC Radio’s Weekend line-up. He’ll also soon return to our screens as a My Kitchen Rules judge and release his new memoir, Big Mouth.
CHRIS LUCAS
Outspoken restaurateur and businessman Chris Lucas had a big two years. Not only did he charge ahead with opening the over-hyped Society after Martin Benn and Vicki Wild jumped ship in the thick of Covid lockdowns, he also launched three more venues — fast-paced Japanese eatery Yakimono, the elegant Lillian Brasserie and handsome Grill Americano. The Chin Chin founder also became the unofficial mouthpiece for struggling hospo businesses during Melbourne lockdowns.
ANDREW MCCONNELL
The long-running chef and restaurateur is adored for his European-inspired restaurant empire in Melbourne. With Cutler and Co, Marion Wine Bar, Cumulus Inc, Cumulus Up and newbie Gimlet going strong, McConnell has also seen success with his bougie butchery Meatsmith and upscale grocer and cafe, Morning Market.
SHANE DELIA
The chef, businessman and TV host is always on the move. After launching lockdown-saviour Providoor in 2020, he’s expanded the make-at-home food delivery business to New South Wales and Brisbane. Outside of running Maha and Maha Bar, he’s just opened another Biggie Smalls kebab shop at Melbourne Airport.
ANDY ALLEN
MasterChef Australia contestant turned judge Andy Allen is enjoying life southside after recently moving from Sydney to Melbourne. He also occasionally gets on the pots and pans at the Melbourne outpost of his popular farm-to-table eatery Three Blue Ducks, which opened at URBNSURF at Tullamarine last year.
HUGH ALLEN
Uber-talented young chef Hugh Allen was promoted to the top job at Shannon Bennett’s Melbourne icon Vue de monde in 2019. Not only did he land a gig at Rockpool when he was 15, he’s worked at world’s best restaurant Noma before returning to lead Vue’s kitchen at just 24. After a two-year lockdown pause, Allen is back in the kitchen and hitting his stride, serving mind-blowing dishes made with skills beyond his years.
BEN SHEWRY
Quiet achiever and Attica founder Ben Shewry has covered a lot of ground in two years. He opened bakeshop, started a soup kitchen, delivered lockdown lasagne, hosted Instagram cook-alongs with mate Hamish Blake, held a summer camp and has now returned to his world-class Ripponlea restaurant firing on all cylinders and with a knockout menu.
JULIEN MOUSSI
The cafe kingpin holds the monopoly in our city’s cafe market. With more than 20 restaurants under his Only Hospitality Group brand, Moussi’s latest wins include taking over Geelong’s waterfront landmark The Pavilion from The Mulberry Group and snapping up his childhood milk bar the Glen Iris Pantry to convert into a daytime eatery and nighttime mod-Asian restaurant and beer garden.
ADAM D’SYLVA
Earning industry cred through his culture-bending Tonka, Coda and Lollo restaurants, Adam D’Sylva has built an impressive career around his Indian and Italian roots. Not only does he host SBS show India Unplated, he also runs a gelato store BOCA in Ivanhoe.
ANTHEA LOUCAS BOSHA
The former Gourmet Traveller editor became Food and Wine Victoria chief executive in 2018.
Anthea has led a stellar food career in both Sydney and Melbourne. She’s behind the city’s largest annual food event — the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival — which after countless Covid hurdles returned with a bang in 2022, headlined by international star Nigella Lawson.
ALICE ZASLAVSKY
Much-loved MasterChef contestant turned veg queen Alice Zaslavsky has built a flourishing career after her TV stint. The former teacher last year landed a gig hosting ABC Radio’s weekend breakfast slot. Not only has her In Praise of Veg cookbook received international acclaim, in March she hosted an afternoon tea with Nigella for Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
BRUCE AND CHYKA KEEBAUGH
Business power couple Bruce and Chyka Keebaugh are the masterminds behind The Big Group — one of the country’s most successful catering and events companies. Not only do they own glam wedding venue Luminare, Mural Hall, The Glasshouse and Ormond Collective, in 2019 they launched a restaurant and cafe at the latter, The Commons, on St Kilda Rd.
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