Picnicsaren’ta newsummertimething,butwiththeemergence
ofCovid-19andpreference(andattimesnecessity)foroutdoor
dining,chefs,restaurantsandstart-upsarecelebratingthe
moveablefeastnowmorethanever.ChezMickyis a Sydney-
basedpicnicpurveyor,focusedondeliveringpacksof
handmadepreserves,pickles,cheeseandcondiments.Owner
MichaelaMorganusesvegetablesandherbsfromherplotat
Camdenville Paddock Community in Newtown and seasonalLIFE’S A PICNIC
markethauls,tocreateherownpesto,harissaandlabne
(whichyoucanorderasa threepack);alongsidea lime
mayonnaiseandpinkmignonette(readytoslatheronprawn
rollsandspoononoystersrespectively,aspicturedabove).
Fornow,she’sservicingthegreaterSydneyregion,enlisting
friendsandfamilytohelpdeliverthegoods, with hopes to
expandacrossNSWandAustralia.
Stalwartchefsarealsoturningtoportableal frescoaffairs:
inLA,AustralianchefCurtisStonehasopenedPicnicSociety
byGwenatTheGrove,whileclosertohomehiseventsoffshoot
in Melbourneis doinglarge-scalecateringpacksdesignedfor
picnicsandoutdoorcelebrations.Melbourne’sMeatsmithis also
joiningtheparkparty,hamperingsmallgoods(includingwagyu
pastrami,duckterrineandchickenliverpâté),artisancheese,
breadandskin-contactwine,allina neatMeatsmithcoolerbag.
Meanwhile,cateringbusinessCookesFoodhasexpanded its
offerings to send out European-inspired grazing packs.RAISING THE BAR
SydneycocktailbarMaybeSammyhasscoopedtheMichter’s
ArtofHospitalityAwardaspartofTheWorld’s 50 BestBars2020.
Thegongis giventoonebarthattheacademy– a 540-member
panelofindustryexperts– votedastheirsinglebesthospitality
experiencefromJanuary 2019 toMarch2020.LocatedatThe
Rocks,MaybeSammytakesinspirationfromHollywood’sgolden
ageofthe1950s;barstaffaredeckedoutinmatchingdouble-
breastedpalepinkjackets,guestsaresprayedwithbubbles
onarrival,andcocktailsaredeliveredwithsmoothserviceand
theatricalflair.You’llalsofinda miniMartinihappyhour,which
seessevendifferenthalf-serveMartinisservedupforjust
$5.50, from 4.30-5.30pm, daily.maybesammy.com22 GOURMET TRAVELLER
WORDS YVONNE C LAM (MAYBE SAMMY). PHOTOGRAPHY DANIELE MASSACCI (MAYBE SAMMY), GABRIELLE PENFOLD & MICHAELA MORGAN (CHEZ MICKY).