ForMelbournerestaurateursandchefs,
onesoberingfactcutsthroughthehaze
oflockdown:in2020,they’vebeenclosed
longerthanthey’vebeenopen.In September
theVictoriangovernmentreleaseditsfive-
steproadmaptoguidethebeleaguered
stateoutofstage-fourrestrictions, and
towardsa new“Covidnormal”.
Thegradualeasingofrestrictions
dependsona decreaseinnewcases.For
thehospitalityindustry,thenextdateofnote
is October26.Bythen,if thedailyaverage
is justfivenewcases,cafés,restaurantsand
barscanreopentodine-incustomers,albeit
atoutdoorseatingonly,andwithdensity
limitsinplace.ByNovember23,if there
havebeennonewcasesacrossVictoria
forthetwoweeksprior,upto 50 diners
willbeallowedtodineinside.
Melbournerestaurateursandchefs
understandthepublichealthmeasuresare
necessary to suppress the virus, but havingbeeninandoutoflockdownsinceMarch,
thelatestnewsis a bitterpilltoswallow.
They’veenduredmorethaneightweeks
ofstage-fourrestrictions,wheretradeis
restrictedtotakeawayonlyandcustomers
arelimitedtoa five-kilometreradius.
LateNovember,whenrestaurantswillstart
tohavesomesemblanceofthosearound
Australia,seemsa long,longwayaway.
“I’mtakingit ona day-by-daybasis,”says
VictorLiong,chef-ownerofLeeHoFook.
“I feellikeI’msufferingthrougha quiet
traumahere.”Likehiscitycompatriots,
it’sbeena longtimesinceLiongserved
a roomfullofdiners.“Exceptforthose
fourweeks[inJunewhen]wecouldopen
for 20 people,I haven’tcookedfora full
restaurantsince 23 March.“I’vebeen
closedtwiceaslongasI’vebeenopen.”
There’sa gnawingsenseofuncertainty
ofwhatliesahead.Lionghasbeenplaying
with numbers and figures, and war-gamingvariousscenariostopredictthefutureof
hisrestaurant.Takeawayis keepinghis
staffemployedbutit’snota sustainable
businessmodel.“It’sonlya verysmall
handfulofbusinessesthathavethecash
reservestoweatherthroughthismuch
inactivity.Andhospitalitybusinessesare
definitelynotoneofthem,”hesays.
Despiteyo-yoinginandoutoflockdown,
thoseinMelbourne’shospitalityindustry
aredoingtheirbesttostaypositive.Inthe
faceofever-changingregulations, it’s
perhapsalltheycando.
“I’ma trueoptimist.You’vegottotry,and
whenit doesn’twork,youtrysomething
else,”saysNornieBero.HerYarraville
restaurantMabuMabuopenedinOctober
lastyear,andit operatedasa proper
restaurantforjustfivemonths.Sincethen,
she’sturnedherkitchenintoa semi-
productionfactory,wheresheandher
teamproducea lineoffoodretailproducts
includingdriednativespiceblendsand
tomatosaucelacedwithbushtomato.In
addition,she’salsobeenrunningonline
damper-makingworkshops– sometimes
uptofourclassesa day– tohelpkeepthe
lightson.BerogrewuponMurrayIslandin
theTorresStraitwheredamperis a staple
food.Duringthepandemic,thebreadthat
fedandnourishedherduring childhood
hassavedherbusiness.
Berois confidentshe’llmakeit to
October.Suchis herpositivitythatshe’s
convincedtheadventofoutdoorseatingwill
createa “streetparty”vibe– albeita socially
distancedone– outsideherrestaurant.She
does,however,questionhowrestaurants
willnavigatethebureaucratichurdlesof
gettingapprovalforoutdoorseating.“You
havetodealwithsubmittinglettersand
recommendations– it’snotjusteasyto
‘do’outdoordining,”shesays.
Thereis nosilverbullettofixingthe
damagewroughtuponMelbourne’s
diningscene.Optimism,it seems,is the
onlysalvationforthecitythathasendured
Australia’stoughestoperating restrictions
forthelongesttime.
“Avaccinewouldbenice.Sowould
a timemachine.Thehardpartis knowing
thesolutionis notgoingtobeswiftnor
immediate,”saysLiong. “All you cando
is stay positive.”SEE YOU ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
Collins Street, Melbourne.18 GOURMET TRAVELLER
WORDS YVONNE C LAM (SEE YOU ON THE BRIGHT SIDE).