Why Australian fine dining keeps its appeal in a tough economy
Fine dining isn’t dead. But its future in Australia is starting to look different.
It’s not a new idea that social media is influencing the way we dine. Increasingly, digital feeds are filling up with viral videos of footpaths outside restaurants being overrun with queuing diners, clips of must-try dishes, and compilations of top ‘foodie destinations’. While online trends are fuelling the desire to dine out (particularly at fine dining restaurants with picture-worthy plating), the reality remains that customers are generally spending less.
According to research from online booking platform OpenTable, diners are being far more selective about where they dine out and, when they do, how they spend their money. Special occasion dining, often influenced by trends or recommendations on social media platforms, is becoming a greater priority for diners with a 41 per cent increase in interest in experiential dining from 2024 to 2025.
As a result, restaurants are looking for accessible routes to elevate the diner’s experience and keep interest high.
Exclusive one-night collaborative dinners with internationally renowned hospitality names, limited seasonal menus, and tableside preparations are just a few ways venues are adapting to keep diners coming through the door.
“There is always going to be interest and an appetite for something new and exclusive, especially when it’s only available for a limited time,” says Joanna Hunkin, a brand consultant and former editor of Gourmet Traveller. “For Australians, the opportunity to experience Michelin-starred dining without flying to the other side of the world is especially enticing.”
She adds that, while Australian venues – such as Saint Peter, Quay, Brae, Vue de Monde, Osteria Tedesca and The Agrarian Kitchen – “surpass” certain international Michelin-starred restaurants, the allure of exclusivity that comes with pop-up collaborations continues to be a big drawcard.
“In the age of social media, there is status and social cachet in accessing an exclusive dining experience,” says Hunkin. “It’s certainly not the only thing attracting younger diners to these places, but it definitely plays a role – and can have a noticeable effect on the atmosphere and ambience of a dining room.”The list of chefs making a temporary appearance at Australian restaurants is only growing. Beginning today, Sydney fine dining restaurant Berowra Waters Inn welcomes Norwegian three-Michelin-starred restaurant Maaemo into its kitchen for a four day takeover. Earlier this year, chef Tomos Parry of London Michelin-rated culinary institution Brat collaborated with the team at Melbourne restaurant Cutler as part of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. Online publication Broadsheet has also cashed in on the model, announcing a new food festival Dine Out, which will see pop-ups across restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne throughout August.
In Sydney’s Surry Hills, The Goodies hospitality group recently hosted successful international pop-ups separately with Jamie Oliver and the team from UK fine diner St John at two of their restaurants, Bar Copains and Bessie’s. The group’s restaurants have grown in popularity for embracing a more laid-back take on refined dining.
“There’s no doubt bringing in international names like Jamie Oliver and the team from St John sparked a major surge in interest across our venues – demand that far exceeded what we’d expect on a typical midweek night,” says Nathan Sasi, chef and co-owner at The Goodies group. “These events drew not just our regulars but also helped us reach a whole new audience.”
Sasi says that social media also played an “instrumental” role in driving diners’ interest in these one-off events. The group plans to announce more chef takeovers in the near future.
“For the Jamie Oliver dinner, a single Instagram post led to the event selling out in under a minute,” he says, “It created a sense of urgency and energy that really resonated with our audience.”
Simon Rogan is another international chef bringing first-class dining to Sydney’s shores – but his focus is on collaboration that breeds long-term success.
The chef and co-owner of three-Michelin-starred restaurant L’Enclume has returned to Mosman’s Bathers’ Pavilion following his initial sold-out residency in 2023. This five week-long collaboration marks only the second time L’Enclume’s degustation menu has been offered outside of the restaurant’s Lakes District location in Cartmel.
The restaurant, which consistently ranks in the top 100 restaurants in the world and took out the top spot in La Liste’s 2024 global ranking of the top 1000 restaurants, serves Sydney-siders until August 24. The residency has been close to booked out since its announcement in April – with only limited tables now available.
Rogan sees the power of longer form residencies over one-night pop-up experiences as a more sustainable solution for fine dining institutions. For diners, the offering maintains the intrigue of exclusivity. All the while, restaurants see the long-term benefit of knowledge-sharing.
“I think pop-ups are fantastic for creating buzz and giving diners a quick taste of what different chefs have to offer. But for me and the team at L’Enclume, the beauty of a residency is the depth and integrity we’re able to bring to the experience,” says Rogan. “A multi-week residency allows us time to form meaningful relationships with growers and producers. That’s a massive part of what we do at L’Enclume – and it’s not something you can replicate in a single night.”
“It’s also about the team having the chance to truly collaborate, that exchange of ideas and knowledge is invaluable,” he adds.
For Jessica Shirvington, co-owner and managing director of Bathers’ Pavilion, hosting Rogan and his L’Enclume team for a second time has taught her that audience appetite for collaborations remains strong. More importantly, however, the preparation preceding the stint fosters a sense of community that makes a longer residency more meaningful than a shorter pop-up.
“Working with the L’Enclume team, spending time with them in Cartmel, developing, trialling and planning with our suppliers, sourcing and working closely with ceramists and creatives … it all takes time,” says Shirvington, “Effectively, we created an entirely new restaurant in just six weeks.”
She also believes that the process behind creating collaborative dining “cannot be rushed” because Sydney has a “discerning dining community” who will make it known when an experience is not up to scratch.
Creating standout dining experiences to appeal to diners who are becoming more selective with how they choose to spend their money is particularly important. Despite the RBA sitting surprisingly firm on interest rate cuts and the impacts of international tariffs still remaining largely unknown, there is hope for the health of the local fine dining industry amid these uncertain economic times. The ‘lipstick index’ suggests there is often an increase in consumers’ willingness to buy smaller luxury items – like high-end makeup or design accessories – during economic downturn as they offer a sense of indulgence without the hefty price tag. The same ethos applies to spending on dining experiences, with the ABS reporting household spend on hospitality was up by more than seven per cent over the last 12 months to April.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram continue to play a role in reshaping the kind of dining experiences customers are looking for. In turn, the hospitality industry is attempting to creatively navigate this shift toward experiential dining against a backdrop of increasing economic difficulty. The evolution of the pop-up model is proving to be one avenue for success. More long-form residencies and collaborative efforts between venues and renowned names may just pay dividends, bringing in enticed diners while upskilling a new generation of Australian hospitality stars.
To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register
Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout