Melbourne’s most influential restaurant bosses

Covid has smashed Melbourne’s food scene, but these restaurant bosses have adapted and even expanded their empires. These are our most influential foodies.

Hospitality was put through the ringer in 2020 and this year was jammed with more surprises.

But the uncertainty of the lockdown hasn’t stopped these resilient Melbourne hospo bosses from opening multiple restaurants or inventing new ways for the industry to work during the pandemic.

These are the most influential people in Melbourne’s hospitality scene.

Chris Lucas with chef Martin Benn and his partner Vicki Wild.

CHRIS LUCAS, MARTIN BENN AND VICKI WILD

Society has been one of Melbourne’s most anticipated openings for 2021.

It’s home to three new spaces inside the luxe 80 Collins precinct by Chin Chin founder Chirs Lucas and Martin Benn and Vicki Wild, behind Sydney’s acclaimed Sepia restaurant.

Society only opened briefly before Melbourne’s sixth lockdown.

Lillian Terrace, the European restaurant inside the dazzling space, has yet to trade.

But Society isn’t all that’s kept Lucas busy.

He’s opening two new CBD venues later this year — Yakimono, a casual Japanese eatery also at 80 Collins, and Grill Americano on Flinders Lane.

Lucas has also been a vocal advocate for hospitality during lockdown. Last week Lucas Restaurants donated 500 meals to Shepparton locals isolating at home.

Takeaway and at-home meal kits have been a firm feature at his other restaurants Hawker Hall, Baby and Kisume during the pandemic.

Chef Scott Pickett has kept busy during the pandemic. Picture: Tennis Australia/ Fiona Hamilton

SCOTT PICKETT

When Melbourne’s restaurants reached breaking point in last year’s lockdown, restaurateur Scott Pickett came to the rescue.

Not only did he save Longrain from closure, he also opened a new CBD restaurant, Chancery Lane. Over summer he cooked for Aus Open crowds and in August Pickett announced, with Melbourne publican Craig Shearer, that he’d run the food offering at The Continental Sorrento — a multimillion-dollar precinct by consortium Victor Smorgon Group, Kanat Group and Trenerry Property.

It’s where Pickett will open his seventh restaurant, Audrey’s, a 120-seater seafood fine diner, later this year.

Ben Shewry has sold takeaway meals outside his Ripponlea restaurant, Attica. Picture: Jake Nowakowski.

BEN SHEWRY

The man behind one of the world’s best restaurants Attica isn’t a stranger to hard times.

In its early days, Ben Shewry and his team struggled to garner any attention for the Ripponlea restaurant.

Later it would be loved by diners and critics alike, here and abroad, and named one of the world’s best restaurants.

But in March 2020, Shewry knew his $310-a-head degustation menu wasn’t going to cut it during a global pandemic.

So he hit the road, delivering rustic lasagnes wrapped in tinfoil. He also launched Attica Soup Project to support and feed temporary visa holders doing it tough.

Attica Bake Shop also opened to serve sandwiches, cakes and pastries for people in its 5km zone.

When lockdown lifted last year, Shewry launched pop-up Attica Summer Camp in Seville. He’s has also occasionally hosted cook-along lives with comic Hamish Blake on Instagram.

Jessi Singh has been opening restaurants throughout the pandemic, including Mr Brownie Rooftop. Picture: Nicki Connolly.

JESSI SINGH

The pandemic didn’t stop Daughter in Law founder Jessi Singh from growing his restaurant empire.

Two years ago, Singh only had a couple of Melbourne venues to his name — Daughter in Law in the CBD and Horn Please in Fitzroy.

By 2021, he’d opened four more including wine bar Mrs Singh, British curry pub Mr Brownie Rooftop and Adelaide and Byron Bay posts for Daughter in Law.

Singh has also made headlines for his views on lockdowns and, more recently, the vaccine, where he’s rewarding fully vaccinated punters with a free drink at his venues.

Shane Delia created new at-home meal delivery service Providoor during lockdown. Picture: David Caird

SHANE DELIA

One of lockdown’s silver linings has been Providoor.

The DIY meal-kits, which let everyday people cook food from Melbourne’s top restaurants at home, were created by Maha chef and restauranter Shane Delia weeks after the city’s first stay at home orders came into effect.

Since it began the brand has welcomed even more top-tier restaurants and recently expanded into Sydney.

In between Providoor and lockdowns, Delia reopened Maha Bar in Collingwood serving smart Middle Eastern snacks and drinks.

Restaurateur Andrew McConnell at Gimlet.

ANDREW MCCONNELL

Gimlet was the restaurant on everyone’s hit-list at the start of 2021.

Andrew McConnell, best known for his stable of venues Cumulus, Cutler and Co and Supernormal, transformed the grand Cavendish House into Euro-fine diner and new “it” spot Gimlet.

It’s where you can visit for a martini and snacks, or indulge in a full feed, like the signature crayfish.

When lockdown hit Melbourne again by mid-year, Gimlet began hosting virtual cocktail classes via Providoor.

Meatsmith, another of McConnell’s ventures, also opened a new store in Balwyn and his cafe and grocer Morning Market opened a Prahran outpost.

Simon Blacher, head of Commune Group, opened two new venues either side of lockdown. Picture: Alex Coppel.

COMMUNE GROUP

The team behind Hanoi Hannah and Tokyo Tina were not going to let lockdown foil their plans.

After the first tarnished the opening of its new Vietnamese grill Firebird in Prahran, Simon Blacher and his team set their sites on revamping an old favourite.

New Quarter Hanoi Hannah opened on Swan St Richmond earlier this year to rave reviews — namely for that beef tartare pho jelly.

While the venue remains closed during lockdown 6, the Commune Group has recently made Firebird available for takeaway and at-home meal kits on Providoor.

Vegan chef Shannon Martinez.

SHANNON MARTINEZ

Our city’s vegan queen, Shannon Martinez, has done great things for veg-forward fare at Smith and Daughters over the years.

Last year Martinez launched Lona Misa — a new vegan restaurant with hospo great Ian Curley southside at South Yarra’s new Ovolo hotel.

Last July the MasterChef regular was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer.

Despite her ongoing health battle, Martinez has been working on two books — a cookbook called Cooking with Chemo and teen comic The Adventures of Chuck and her Bubble of Trouble.

In a cruel blow, the cancer treatment initially left Martinez without a sense of taste while she was working on the Lona Misa menu.

Thankfully overtime her tastebuds are returning, with Martinez also working on a new project to be revealed soon.

Johnny Di Francesco has opened another 400 Gradi venue in Mornington. Picture: Tim Carrafa

JOHNNY DI FRANCESCO

400 Gradi’s pizzas have been a Melbourne and world favourite for years.

In 2021, Johnny Di Francesco opened another store on the Mornington Peninsula.

The coastal venue is the first to include all three Gradi brands under the one roof — deli and grocer Gradi Mercato and gelataria Gradi Zero.

Di Francesco also runs 400 Gradi stores Brunswick, Crown, Eastland, Essendon, and in 2019, opened his first international venue in Dallas, Texas.

400 Gradi grew to global fame after Di Francesco’s margarita pizza was named the world’s best.