Audrey Payne

5 days ago | broadsheet.com.au | Audrey Payne

Last year, John Demetrios won season two of Masterchef spinoff series Dessert Masters. Now the pastry chef – who served as executive pastry chef at Omnia and Yugen, held the same role at Vue de Monde and worked at two-Michelin-starred restaurant Oaxen Krog in Sweden – is taking the $100,000 prize money to open Butter Days Bakery in Malvern later this year. We caught up with Demetrios to find out where (and what) he’s eating in Melbourne these days. What’s your favourite bakery?

1 week ago | broadsheet.com.au | Audrey Payne

The Melbourne hospitality scene is always in flux. Here are the new venues we got excited about this month, and the ones we were sad to see go. Openings and new coverage• First look: Junda Khoo’s Malaysian beer hall Ho Liao is finally open. • Everything is made in-house at the new South Melbourne shop of Luke’s Banh Mi.Stay in the know with our free newsletter. The latest restaurants, must-see exhibitions, style trends, travel spots and more – curated by those who know.

1 week ago | broadsheet.com.au | Audrey Payne

• Two West Melbourne favourites, Hot-Listed beer hall Benchwarmer and Thai cafe Udom House, will join forces this Sunday June 1 for a one-off collab. Stop by Benchwarmer from 3pm for Thai small plates, Thai highballs and live music. • Melbourne restaurants are popping up at Mount Buller venue Villager this winter. Marmont will kick things off with a free launch party on Thursday June 5, followed by ticketed dinners on Friday June 18 and Saturday June 19.

1 week ago | broadsheet.com.au | Audrey Payne

It was a shock to the city when The Everleigh and Bar Margaux closed in March. The shuttering of Michael and Zara Madrusan’s influential venues may have left an irreparable hole in Melbourne’s drinks scene, but the closures have coincided with openings from a crop of exciting newcomers. From a new local from two Everleigh alumni to a Brighton wine bar from Ian Curley, and Joe’s Shoe Store’s first south-side venue, here are nine new bars we’re loving right now.

1 week ago | broadsheet.com.au | Audrey Payne

Hot-Listed Abbotsford Convent restaurant Julie is handing its kitchen over to a different chef every month between May and July. Emmanuelle Leftick kicked things off, and starting Thursday June 5, it’s Diana Desensi’s turn. Desensi was part of the opening team at the Karen Martini-led Saint George and has recently been working at new South Melbourne joint Pizzateca Lupa. We caught up with Desensi to find out where (and what) she’s been eating in Melbourne lately. What’s your favourite bakery?