Growing number of celeb chefs overseeing pub menus

Matt Moran’s new TV show, Memory Bites.

They were once the domain of the working class, serving basic meals at an affordable price, but the humble pub has now turned posh.

Celebrity chefs are suddenly popping up in the suburbs, creating new food menus and gourmet versions of classic pub foods, as hotels look to maximise returns from their food and beverage offerings.

Take the nearly 200-year-old Red Lion Hotel in the Sydney suburb of Rozelle. Not only has it had a facelift and refurbishment to improve its multimillion-dollar commercial value, but hospitality giant Laundy Hotels has brought in TV personality and sixth-generation French chef Manu Feildel to enhance the pub’s new bistro.

“Pubs are evolving and innovating their food offerings to stay relevant and attract a broader audience while remaining true to their roots,” said Laundy Hotels’ Danielle Richardson.

“It’s an exciting time as we introduce diverse and unique menu options that appeal to new guests without alienating our regulars, but great quality pub classics will always have a place on our menu.”

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JLL Pubs Australia vice president executive Ben McDonald said hoteliers had discovered a major opportunity in food.

“A name behind the food is a differentiator and driver,” McDonald said.

“Publicans are always looking at how to better serve their patrons and their local market … it gives them a reason to keep coming back.

“With new interest, come new patrons. There is a flow on effect into other departments – people come in for the food then buy a good bottle of wine with dinner”.

My Kitchen Rules TV show host Manu Feildel is taking over the Red Lion Hotel’s bistro. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Bistro Red Lion by Manu is a collaboration between Feildel and his longtime friend, Laundy Hotels Group Executive chef Jamie Gannon.

Together, they have created a menu showcasing Feildel’s family recipes, including his father’s French-country-style pâté.

“Local pubs and restaurants have become the heart of hospitality, bringing high-quality cooking to neighbourhood communities,” Feildel said.

“Rozelle has a thriving foodie scene already, so we’re making great food accessible, welcoming a local audience who appreciate quality without the hassle of heading into the CBD”.

Chef Nelly Robinson, from the hatted restaurant NEL, oversees the menu at the Nags Head Hotel in Glebe.

In the city-fringe suburb Glebe, Momento Hospitality has rejuvenated the historic Nag’s Head Hotel, paying homage to the traditional British gastropub.

Chef Nelly Robinson, from the hatted restaurant NEL, oversees the menu.

“In the UK, it’s very common to find this — a restaurant within a pub. I grew up in British pubs, and this felt like coming full circle,” he said.

“In the pub we’ve got classic pub food like fish and chips and Sunday roasts. In the restaurant (Winstons), it’s a more intimate experience with elevated classics and table service.

“It’s a refined take on British pub classics without losing the warmth and familiarity that makes a pub, a pub.”

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Momento Hospitality’s owner Marcello Colosimo wants to attract a contemporary audience.

“We see high-quality food such as Nelly’s as a real opportunity for the venue — a natural progression which can be seen currently throughout our industry,” he said.

Famed chef Matt Moran is giving The Rockley Pub in Rockley a face lift. Picture: Steven Woodburn

Beyond the suburbs, acclaimed chef Matt Moran has turned his focus to The Rockley Pub. Located a short drive from the Moran family farm, he purchased the venue and surrounding property in 2021 with a vision to revitalise the area.

“The Rockley Pub is the heart of Rockley, and it’s actually one of the only businesses in town,” Moran said.

“This is one of the reasons I really wanted to buy the pub and the land around it. I want to expand beyond the pub and do luxury accommodation, an elevated restaurant, and functions.”

Matt Moran has been in the Aussie food industry for more than 40 years.

Although his plans are ambitious, Moran understands that a pub is more than just a place for a cold beer and a hearty meal.

“It’s a meeting spot for locals and a destination for visitors to the area. It’s a spot to get great food without having to travel too far,” he explained.

“There are pub classics along with our chef’s menu which changes seasonally, appealing to both regulars and visitors”.

Chef Andy Allen has been a judge on MasterChef Australia since 2020.

On the coast, the longstanding Hotel Brunswick has partnered with Three Blue Ducks, a restaurant brand celebrated for its rustic, sustainable, and “real food” ethos.

Co-owned by MasterChef winner and judge Andy Allen, and restaurateur and author Darren Robertson, the duo worked closely with the hotel’s culinary team to create a menu that showcases the finest local produce from the Northern Rivers region, including ingredients from Three Blue Ducks’ farm in Byron Bay.

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Chef Loki Lynch said the menu offered a modern take on pub classics alongside coastal, California-inspired dishes.