How An Ex-Quay Chef Created Sydney’s First Cocktail Jellies
Every so often, something special blows up on the food scene and changes the game completely.
It might be a viral dessert, like the Japonaise cake from a humble West Pymble bakery that went global thanks to a sweet interaction captured on RedNote, and had people queuing for hours. Or a buzzy new spin on something we’ve always enjoyed, like Totti’s famous puffy bread. So simple, yet so impactful, it has inspired a wave of 'balloon bread' riffs.
Then there’s chef Matt Mirosevich’s must-try creation: Sydney’s first-ever cocktail jellies.
Mirosevich's new cocktail jellies are fast becoming a signature offering from his premium, Sydney-based catering business, Catered By Matt, which creates elevated buffets, canapés and degustation experiences for corporate and private events. We caught up with the chef to chat jellies, success and feeding a crowd.
A Rainbow-Bright Crowd-Pleaser
The jellies are available in a slew of MVP options, including Margarita, Aperol Spritz, French 75, Negroni and Espresso Martini.
Small but mighty, Mirosevich’s jellies are as aesthetically pleasing as they are powerful. Two jellies contain the same amount of alcohol as one cocktail, making them ideal for roaming around events with a dramatic haze of liquid nitrogen bubbling off the plate.
“I actually came across the jellies when I was on a trip in America. What they had over there was different to what we ended up creating here, but that was the inspiration,” Mirosevich shares of how he came up with the idea.
Looking at the end product of Mirosevich’s cocktail jellies, it’s a rainbow-bright lineup of luxe alcoholic canapés, which took over 30 samples to perfect.
“The biggest challenge was getting the flavours and colours right,” the chef, who previously worked at Quay, one of Sydney’s most iconic restaurants, which closed its doors in February this year, admits of the arduous process.
The Quay To Success
Indeed, a commitment to high-quality food and drink has been the through-line of Mirosevich’s impressive career.
So much so that in 2020, he was awarded the prestigious Brett Graham Scholarship, which included a Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery and the opportunity to work with Chef Brett Graham at The Ledbury in London, then the world’s eighth-best restaurant.
“I never made it to Ledbury,” Mirosevich says, noting that COVID put an end to his scholarship plans.
But thankfully, cutting his teeth at Quay set him up for success. “Working at Quay was a massive head start in my career. I was the youngest in the kitchen by a few years, so I had to work outrageously hard just to survive and keep my place in the team. Fortunately, I enjoy a challenge, and managed to work through the ranks rather quickly.”
When COVID hit, and he had left Quay, Mirosevich had to pivot to plan B, launching his own catering business from his one-bedroom apartment at just 20.
A Leap Of Foodie Faith
“Because of COVID, I almost fell into catering. After looking at the market and seeing the gap for something more premium, I decided to pursue it."
Fast-forward to 2026, and Mirosevich employs seven full-time staff members, with over 15 casuals, and the team has catered more than 1,000 events for clients like Ferrari, Porsche and CELINE.
So, what’s their secret sauce that helps them stand out in a crowded market?
“We hire amazing staff and obsess over the details. We don’t settle for average, and we question everything. We have a team of chefs who have all been sous chefs or head chefs in multi-hatted and Michelin-starred restaurants, so that makes the day-to-day very exciting,” he muses.
As the business continues to kick goals and expand, Mirosevich says his focus always remains on the clients.
“I believe that focusing on the client and ensuring we create a stress-free experience that their guests love will always lead to more work,” he explains.
From Floor Sleeping To High-End Catering
And while the business is firing on all cylinders now, when he first had the idea for Catered By Matt, he had to build it from the ground up. In fact, his dedication to getting the business running meant that at one point, his home and his kitchen were one and the same. At the time, he used his weekly chef wage to pay rent and buy catering equipment.
To bootstrap the company, he sold anything and everything he didn’t need for cooking, from his couch to his speakers to his TV. Eventually, he had to make a choice. “I couldn’t afford the lease for both an apartment and a commercial kitchen. And between the two, the choice was obvious.”
He turned the catering shop he had in Sydney’s Northern Beaches into his home, and for three months, he slept on the tiled floor.
“Honestly, it sounds hard, but in my mind, it was the most exciting thing ever. It was the ‘burn the boat’ mindset. Knowing I would commit until it worked, and nothing was going to stop me. It was a very empowering moment,” Mirosevich reveals. “Although, to be clear, it wasn’t very luxurious, and I definitely questioned my sanity a few times,” he laughs.
Mirosevich’s fearless entrepreneurial spirit is to be admired, and one must ask what words of wisdom he could impart to anyone else wanting to take the leap and start their own business.
“Just do it. Block out others' opinions, and do so many reps that it would be unreasonable for you not to succeed. You win, or you learn,” he says, with a philosophical touch.
To discover more show-stopping menus and elevated event experiences, head to Catered By Matt.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Catered By Matt and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.