It’s telling that when we were compiling a list of 40 dishes that have defined Sydney dining over 40 years of the Guide, Bill Granger’s avocado toast was first on the list. In truth, it equally could have been his much-imitated scrambled eggs, his ricotta hotcakes, or simply the small pleasure of a flawlessly executed flat white.

What Granger, a former art student with an eye for design, started in a small corner cafe in Darlinghurst in 1993, soon went global, his pared-back but sharp cooking and effortless service style defining Australian cafe culture for locals, and the world.

With more than a dozen cookbooks, and 19 restaurants in cities including Tokyo, London, Seoul and Honolulu, Granger’s cooking went much further than breakfast, though, his sunny approach extending across all-day menus and inspiring countless chefs and home cooks.

Bill may have left us, but his legacy, and legend, will last forever.