Hatted chef and restaurateur, Luke Mangan says he’s looking to take his high-end airport restaurant concept launched in Sydney last year to other destinations.
Few haven’t heard of Luke Mangan. His (mostly) eponymous restaurants are on cruise ships, at Sydney Airport, Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, hotels (including Kimpton Margot Hotel), and he’s just launched his first restaurant in Melbourne in more than a decade, Bistrot Bisou.
And he says while Australia is kicking some big goals in regards to the quality of its food in many restaurants around the country, we’ve got a long way to go when it comes to the airport.
“Airport restaurant food has been very tired. You go to the US or UK and you see exceptional experiences and there’s clearly a demand for great airport food.”
He says travellers should be able to have a quality culinary experience while they wait for their flight.
“There’s an audience for freshly shucked oysters and lobster, and if your flight’s delayed, why shouldn’t you be able to get a glass of champagne?”
And it’s something he’s planning on changing.
“Luke’s Bistro & Bar (at Sydney Airport) has a seafood counter bar and you can sit in front of an open kitchen, it’s a restaurant that could be in the high street of Sydney or Melbourne and it’s going phenomenally well, and we’re now looking at expanding it to other destinations.”
The demand for culinary experiences
Mangan says he’s also looking to build on the ‘culinary experiences’ he offers across his restaurants.
“People are looking for different things. A gin-themed dinner will always be more interesting than a straight menu, and guests want to learn… they are savvy with food and wine and they want the whole package.”
Mangan says a climb and dine package is on the cards at Luke’s Table at the Pylon Lookout on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and later this year he’s bringing all his head chefs together for an event in the Hunter Valley in NSW.
He says Australia does well with the food and wine it offers travellers, but we can all do better to help promote what we offer.
“We have great product and some of best restaurants in the world, and it’s up to all of us to promote that.
“You only need to look at our wine regions and the great restaurants in wineries. There’s a lot to celebrate.”
For more information, visit Luke Mangan.
