Australian Gourmet Traveller - (01)January 2020 (1)

New beginnings

KylieKwongremembersthedaysheclosed

BillyKwong,herSydneyrestaurantof

19 years.It wassixmonthsago,onthelast

SundayofJune.“I wassotouchedbyhow

emotionallyattachedthecommunityhad

becometoBillyKwong,”shesays.Thelunch

servicewasa bluroffood,hugs,hellosand

goodbyes.Thenshedidit again,forthe

dinnertimerush,toa roomfullofregularsand

formerBillyKwongstaff.Thechefwaswinding

upa restaurantthatshefirstopenednearly

twodecadesagoas a tinyeateryinSurryHills

thatgainedanoutsizedreputation,thanksto

thechef’sfinesseformergingnativeAustralian

ingredientsintoherCantonesecuisine.

Sheinevitablyoutgrewthatlocationand

relocatedtoPottsPointin 2014 (donatingBilly

Kwon tablestoolsto

experience

wasdoing

wastakingthis14-year-oldlittleholeinthewall

andmovingit toa sitethatwasthreetimesthe

sizeina verydifferentneighbourhood.”

Now,she’sreadyforhernextmove:

launchinganas-yet-unnamedeateryinlate

2020 at SouthEveleigh,aninner-cityprecinct

developedbyMirvac.“I immediatelyfell

inlovewiththeplace,”shesays.Formerly

knownasAustralianTechnologyPark,the

areais thelandoftheGadigalandis the

locationofIndigenousstart-upYerrabingin,

runbyChristianHampsonandClarence

Slockee,whohasknownKwongfora decade.

“ClarencemademyIndigenousclapping

sticksforBillyKwonginPottsPoint,”she

says.Thechefwouldstrikethemwhenan

orderwasreadyat herpreviousrestaurant.

Slockeetaughtherhowtomakeclapping

stickswithlemon-scentedgumtreebranches

fromSouthEveleighforherneweatery,

whichwilldrawonnativeingredientsfrom

Yerrabingin’srooftopgarden:fromnativeriver

minttothekarkallasucculentthatgrowslike

a carpetthere.Themenuwillfeaturethe

savourypancakesthatshecookedat thenearby

CarriageworksFarmersMarketsforsevenyears

(shemade189,000servesofit duringhertime

there).“It’sa reallygreatdishtotella storyvia

thetoppingsI use,”shesays.Thatmightbe

seaparsleypickedfromYerrabingin,sustainable

seafoodsuppliedbyJoshNilandorholybasil

thatPalisaAndersongrowsjusthoursaway.

ThedaytimeeaterywillonlyrunMonday

toFriday,leavingKwongtimeforhernew

roleasSouthEveleighambassador,whichwill

involveorganisingfeastsandothereventsfor

thearea.“I alwaysgowheretheenergytakes

meand,forme,SouthEveleighis overflowing

withenergyandvitality,”shesays.

southeveleigh.mirvac.com

AfterrunningBillyKwongforclosetotwodecades,KylieKwong

hasanexcitingneweatery– androle– plannedfor2020.

2020 openings

JoiningKylieKwong’sventure

inSydneywillbeMattWhiley’s

newsiteforScout,andCoogee

Pavilion’snewcocktailbar,

tapasjointandseafood

restaurant.InMelbourne,

AndrewMcConnellwillopena

newvenue,whileChrisLucas’s

Batardis dueinlate2020.The

80 CollinsStreetcomplexwill

behometoAlejandroSaravia’s

Farmer’sDaughters,thenew

restaurantforSepia’sMartin

BennandVickiWildandthe

MelbourneoutpostforSydney’s

Nick& Nora’s.Sydney’sNomad

willalsolaunchintheVictorian

capital.InBrisbane,Ben

Williamsonwillfireupthe

long-awaited 22 Agnes.

WaysideChapel intheprocess).The

was nerve-wracking“becausewhatIw

Luxury German luggage brand Rimowa has opened its first permanent boutique

in Sydney. Their signature aluminium cases can be personalised with leather

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at baggage claim again. Westfield Sydney, Cnr Pitt St & Market St, Sydney, NSW.

POHS

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Left: Kylie Kwong at

Yerrabingin with its

co-founders Christian

Hampson (left) and

Clarence Slockee.