Robots delivering dishes, lab-grown meat and 3D-printed veggies—imaginations run wild when thinking about the future of food.
While some of these wacky inventions are finding their way into the country’s best kitchens, the future of Australian dining is grounded in embracing social change and sustainability, according to Atlas Dining founder and LANDMARK by Lexus Melbourne Cup Carnival (MCC) collaborator Charlie Carrington.
Anyone who’s visited Atlas Dining will know the inventive restaurant’s menu is a love letter to global food and flavours, with Carrington and his team showcasing a different cuisine every three months. Here, Australia’s multiculturalism is celebrated and Carrington collaborates with top-notch chefs and creative folk from across the country to bring diners a truly contemporary experience.
Together with Lexus, who's marking its 35th anniversary by looking ahead and celebrating Future Catalysts at LANDMARK by Lexus, we're sitting down with Australia's changemakers in food, dessert and design. Running across the Melbourne Cup Carnival, LANDMARK by Lexus is a luxury experience inside the Birdcage Enclosure at Flemington Racecourse that's all about inspiring change for the better.
The Lexus Zero-emission Catalyst (LF-ZC) concept vehicle is one of the drivers for how luxury mobility will be experienced, and together with the Lexus collaborators, we're exploring how the brand is pushing beyond the expected. First up, we asked Carrington to share the restaurants and culinary pop-ups redefining the future of Australian dining, and why you need to try them ASAP.
Creating Social Change: Colombo, Kabul and Kyiv Social, Sydney
It’s impossible to leave Colombo Social hungry. At the Enmore Road restaurant, generous plates of rich, aromatic Sri Lankan food are lovingly prepared and served by refugees and asylum seekers. Started by first-generation migrant Shaun Christie-David, Colombo Social, Kabul Social and Kyiv Social champion an “innovative and powerful social-enterprise model," shares Carrington—one that represents a crucial change to the future of Australia's hospitality industry.
“During our three-month stint as Atlas Sri Lanka, I reached out to Shaun Christie-David of Colombo Social in Sydney and invited him to collaborate with us for a special Atlas Co-Pilot Event down here in Melbourne. At the time, I didn't realise what a radical restaurateur he was,” Carrington adds.
“Shaun didn't start his career in hospitality, which I believe has made his venture into restaurants that bit more remarkable. While food and customer experience are at the forefront of his venues, they're all built on the vision to help create social change.”
Carrington’s hot tip: “If you can attend a 'Mum Cha' event at Colombo Social, it's warm, fuzzy, and exactly what sharing food is all about.”
Dishing Up A More Sustainable Experience: Petermen Dining, Sydney
We’re big fans of Josh Niland here at Urban List. The impressive chef champions sustainability in everything he touches, as he fearlessly challenges the culture of how we consume food.
St Leonard’s Peterman Dining has fast become a heavy hitter since it opened in 2023, recently winning the Second Best Restaurant In The World and getting namechecks from Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver. But what makes this venue special is the standard Nilan is setting in sustainability.
“Like many others, I've loved following Josh Niland's story and when we think about the food industry and the hope for more sustainable practices, you can't look past the "nose-to-tail" approach Josh has when it comes to seafood,” shares Carrington.
"I'm a big lover of seafood. For this year's LANDMARK by Lexus, I'm cooking grilled king prawns with muntrie, native XO, coconut and wattle seed garnished with spring blooms to celebrate."
Firing Up Cooking Conventions: Firedoor, Sydney
The oldest traditions are often the most interesting in the culinary space. Firedoor’s instinctive approach to cooking over fire—which humans have been doing for almost two million years—inspired Carrington to bring the technique into his kitchen at Atlas Dining. The venue is 100 per cent wood-fired, with no use of gas.
Naturally, Carrington is also using this same approach to create his show-stopping lamb dish for LANDMARK by Lexus. Here, the chef will showcase his culinary chops alongside other future-focussed collaborators in inventive menus.
“When I think about individuals and establishments that are known for their unique cooking techniques, I have to mention Lennox Hastie of Firedoor. Not only because he's a good friend, but also because his devotion to cooking over fire inspired the way we also prepare food at Atlas Dining,” shares Carrington.
“Lennox is the master of cooking exclusively over fire coals and his dedication and knowledge when it comes to smoke, fire and produce is unmatched.”
Shaking Up The Fast Food Industry: Tennessee Wingboys, Melbourne
Fast food might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the future of dining, but offering “accessible, sustainable, good-quality fast-service food will continue to propel Australia’s hospitality industry forward,” shares Carrington.
Slinging traditional Nashville fried chicken alongside classic sides, Carrington’s own Tennessee Wingboys is the chef’s fourth recommendation. “When I think about the future of dining in Australia, I see a 'high/low approach'. There'll always be a place for culinary craftsmanship, providing the most artisanal ingredients and ensuring guests have a genuine experience at the highest level. Over the years, however, I've become increasingly more interested in the fast-food space."
"AI will support many things, from menu design to costing and service elements while drone technology will disrupt and transform mobility of food and its accessibility for guests. Tennessee Wingboys is a business I've created to scale and lean into the future opportunities of the new world of hospitality," he adds.
Partnering with Lexus at the 2024 MCC, Carrington will take guests on a journey to ‘Future Zero’ with a three-course dining experience. Cultural connection is at the heart of the menu, and native ingredients diners might not have tried before will be paired with classic Aussie ingredients like Queensland prawns. Learn more about the LANDMARK by Lexus here.
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Images: Supplied