Townsville’s Jam Corner restaurant to be rebranded after sale to fine dining chef Sunil Prasad

Award-winning Townsville restaurant Jam Corner has a new name and owner, with big plans to win more awards for its modern Australian cuisine.

Award winning Townsville restaurant JAM has been bought by Sunil Prasad, which will keep head chef Jason Stark, and be renamed to Jam by Chef Sunil. Pictures: Supplied.

A new era has begun for the award-winning Townsville restaurant Jam Corner, which has a new owner and name, but will continue its proud tradition of serving delicious modern Australian cuisine.

Since its founding in 2010 at 1 Palmer St, the restaurant has blossomed to become one of the region’s premier dining destinations before its owner Matt Merrin decided to scale back his responsibilities and put the business on the market last year.

An Indian-born professional chef who specialises in French classical cuisine and modern Australian, Sunil Prasad had been waiting for the right opportunity when he saw that Jam was up for sale, and put in an offer.

The restaurant is gradually being rebranded to “Jam by Chef Sunil” after changing hands on July 1, and it will continue with the same staff and head chef Jason Stark.

Also the founder of local Indian restaurant Townsville Dosa, Mr Prasad always found Jam to be a “fascinating property”, and often wondered whether it could help achieve his ambition of establishing a “collared restaurant with accolades” in the city.

Award winning Townsville restaurant JAM has been bought by Sunil Prasad, and has been renamed to Jam by Chef Sunil. Picture: Evan Morgan

“I needed to get back into my actual thing because I have long years of experience in fine dining and worked with some very popular and Michelin Star chefs, like Michel Roux,” Mr Prasad said.

“We are going to give a good mix of modern Australian along with some traditional classic French and Italian specialties … and a touch of Asian – a good combination of modern and old school cooking styles.”

Award winning Townsville restaurant JAM has been bought by Sunil Prasad, with head chef Jason Stark (left), and has been renamed to Jam by Chef Sunil. Picture: Evan Morgan

Sharing a passion for fishing with his head chef, Mr Prasad planned to include a lot of exotic seafood items on the menu, alongside dishes that leaned into Australian’s passion for lamb.

He planned to train up staff in classic and modern techniques and rotate them through the kitchen sections with the goal of ensuring there was consistency in their kitchen’s output.

A new dish coming to Jam by Chef Sunil: duck, mushroom, pickled walnuts and blueberry tartlet. Picture: Supplied.

New dessert for Jam by Chef Sunil: Cointreau and orange semifreddo, candied walnuts, lemon cream. Picture: Supplied.

“After three years or five years working with me they should feel like they gained something, and will be able to be a sous chef or head chef level when they finish,” he said.

Due to public demand, Jam will bring back breakfast service in mid-August, after it fell by the wayside during the pandemic.

New head chef Jason Stack, with Duck breast, pickled walnuts and blueberry tartlets and pork saddle, cauliflower, red cabbage and apple, is taking over at JAM Corner. Picture: Evan Morgan

Originally published as Townsville’s Jam Corner restaurant to be rebranded after sale to fine dining chef Sunil Prasad