Young Restaurateur, Appetite for Excellence awards

Awards help elevate the professionalism of Australia’s restaurant industry and we all benefit.

Charlie Carrington of Atlas Dining, South Yarra.

Charlie Carrington, on the face of it, is doing all right. The Melbourne chef opened Atlas Dining in 2016 and it’s still open, still doing well. Even has a limp chef’s hat from Channel Nine.

Deservedly so, in my opinion, although there are some chippy mumblings in corners of the chef community about the fact that Carrington never did a formal apprenticeship, staged at a lot of glamour joints here and abroad and had some family money behind him. Not sure how that’s any different to being backed by property developers or mortgage brokers, but anyway.

Less than a year ago, Carrington backed up Atlas with a marvellous, concept-driven fresh/healthy/Middle Eastern lunch place called Colours. I love it. Another will open this year in Melbourne Central and, of course, he has a book on the way.

Unsurprisingly, he’s had a bit of press since 2016 because Atlas is good; it has a unique, three-restaurants-per-year approach reflecting different food and wine styles each time from different parts of the world; and because he’s young. He’s still just 25.

Carrington is the pin-up young restaurateur. But with such healthy runs on the board, and several successful businesses, why would he want to put himself up for Young Restaurateur in this year’s Appetite for Excellence awards?

“I think it gives young chefs, waiters and restaurateurs a platform to meet potential mentors,” he says. “I also know my personal struggles in the industry are felt by many, so it’s great to meet new people and gain an understanding of how they deal with day to day [problems].”

It’s important to surround yourself with the right people, says Carrington. “Having worked for a lot of great chefs and maintained my friendships” – he nominates Lennox Hastie of Firedoor and Clinton McIver of Amaru – “they have been fundamental to the success of my little empire. To meet other industry legends and learn from them is huge. I also really like a challenge; to have a platform to express my philosophies and ideas is great.”

If Carrington scoops the award, he’ll join an interesting alumni. Past winners and finalists include James Viles (Biota), Josh Niland (Saint Peter) and Danielle Gjestland (Wasabi), three leading the new wave of groundbreaking Australian restaurants. There are literally hundreds of chefs, waiters and restaurateurs around Australia who have participated since the awards were founded 13 years ago.

Sydney chef, restaurateur and man with fingers in pies, Luke Mangan, got the initial Appetite awards up in 2005, and is still behind them – undoubtedly a factor in his recent Australia Day gong. So why does he do it? “To give younger people in the industry a chance to develop,” says Mangan. “To meet legends in the industry they wouldn’t normally have access to.” (The judging panel is a Who’s Who.) “To give them access to great minds and give them opportunities. It’s not just about winning this award, it’s about the whole experience.”

Anyone who does something to elevate the professionalism of Australia’s restaurant industry is doing something we all benefit from. Good luck, everyone. Applications for Young Restaurateur close on April 14; appetiteforexcellence.com