When three-hatted Vue de Monde’s executive chef Hugh Allen visits his parents in North Melbourne, he’ll swing by Queensberry Street’s Bread Club for a baguette or sandwich on the way.

“I grew up on Chapman Street around the corner, so if I am ever going by their place, I like to get a coffee plus a rocket, brie and ham baguette. It’s always packed up and delicious. I’ll queue for a short while, but it depends how long that line is,” says Allen.

As a child, he regularly visited the nearby Queen Victoria Market, where his mother would shop at The French Shop and Polish Deli. It spurred Allen’s curiosity for cooking; he left school at University High in Parkville aged 15 to start his apprenticeship at Rockpool. Now 29, Allen is at the top of his game running the kitchen at Vue de Monde, which was awarded three hats in The Age Good Food Guide.

He recently visited the outback Queensland town of Longreach, where he mentored young chefs as they hosted an intimate dinner at RM Williams’ original homestead for the launch of Great Northern’s Long Run premium beer.

Mentors who inspired Allen in the kitchen still influence him to this day.

“Two chefs who’ve had the most significant impact on my career are Shannon Bennett (formerly of Vue de Monde) and René Redzepi (of Noma),” he says.

“They’ve helped shape me into the chef I am today and [are a] key part of my success. Still to this day, I learn things from my team, who come from all over the world.”

Eating in

Signature dish and go-to at home

I spend 90 per cent of my time eating at work during our staff family meal, so I don’t get to cook at home as much as I’d like. When I do, we keep it simple and healthy – lots of roast vegetable salads with goat’s feta and avocado, or a good Thai green curry with lots of Thai basil and chilli.

At weekends, for breakfast, I love scrambled eggs on toasted sourdough, seasoned with Noma’s fermented corn yuzu hot sauce. It’s from their new ferments company, Noma Projects.

My guilty pleasure

Peanut butter. I eat copious amounts of crunchy peanut butter straight from the jar. It started when I lived in Denmark as a 20-something. I was really skinny and needed a quick way to get some healthy calories in, but it’s become a guilty pleasure ever since. Oddly, I don’t like peanut-butter-flavoured things, just the real deal, straight up out of the jar.

The kitchen wisdom I cling to

It’s a common piece of advice, but starting with incredible produce really makes all the difference. If the base ingredient is exceptional, you don’t need to do much to make it shine. Take asparagus, for example. Victorian asparagus is phenomenal for about eight weeks, and when they’re thick and crisp, simply grilling them with salt and olive oil is one of the best bites you’ll ever have.

Eating out

My favourite hometown restaurant (and go-to dish)

It’s a tie between Flower Drum and France-Soir – both iconic Melbourne institutions. At Flower Drum, I usually go with the chef’s signature dishes: the iconic Peking duck wrapped in a thin handmade pancake, accompanied by sweet plum sauce. At France-Soir, the hospitality is fast, it’s fun, it’s consistent and all about steak frites, oysters and a great bottle of wine.

My favourite hometown cafe and/or bar (and a favourite drink/snack at each)

I’m not much of a drinker, but I have to say the teams at Byrdi and Apollo Inn do an amazing job. They’re very different in style, but equally impressive. Byrdi is very much focused on Australian producers and creativity, and Apollo Inn is your classic cocktail-bar style – very sleek fitout with great lighting. When it comes to cafes, I love Market Lane for coffee. Small Batch is fantastic, too – great coffee and the chilli cheese scroll is a must-try.

In Sydney

The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel is a great old pub in The Rocks. It is a quintessential Sydney pub. They serve excellent beer and food.

Favourite place to eat in Australia

One of the most memorable meals I’ve eaten was at Quay, Sydney. Peter Gilmore is a legend of the Australian restaurant world. I went with my girlfriend on a beautiful warm evening back in 2023, and the Opera House was in full view in all its glory. They have a great culture there and you can really feel it when you dine.

The meal and service were absolutely world-class. A dish I remember when first visiting was seaweed and octopus served chilled with squid and served with a seaweed sauce. It was a memorable sour hit of incredibly delicious seafood and umami flavours.

On the road

What’s your favourite food city and why?

Aside from Melbourne, I’d say Copenhagen. I lived there for nearly four years in my early 20s while working at Noma, and I fell in love with the place.

Denmark does everything so well, from classic Scandinavian dishes to cutting-edge cuisine. I might be biased, but for me, Noma is still the best restaurant in the world. I could go there again and again – it will always have a big place in my heart. If you manage to score a reservation, Noma is a must for any food lover (note: it’s closing in 2025). While it’s almost impossible to get in, it’s worth the effort.

Restaurant Møntergade is a great spot for classic Danish cuisine. They serve the iconic open-faced sandwiches (smørrebrød) with slightly elevated dishes that bring new life to the traditional staples.

For something more casual, there are heaps of amazing bakeries. Check out Hart, Lille Bakery and Juno.

In Copenhagen, I usually stay with friends, but during my last visit, I stayed at a great little AirBnb in Nørrebro, a cool, groovy inner suburb that reminds me of Fitzroy.