QT Sydney has announced the appointment of Executive Chef Nic Wood to its beloved dining institution, Gowings Bar & Grill. As Nic steps into the helm, Sydney’s signature brassiere will prepare to undertake a bold new culinary direction and its first design reinvention since its launch in 2013, with more details to be announced in the coming months.
Wood joins QT Sydney from QT Perth’s award-winning restaurant, Santini Bar & Grill, which opened with the hotel in mid-2018. In this role, Wood’s direction has led Santini to quickly become a Perth institution, celebrated by both critics and locals. Santini has won back-to-back accolades in the prestigious WA Good Food Guide Awards, taking home Best New Restaurant in 2018 followed by Restaurant of the Year in the 2019. Wood will continue to oversee Santini Bar & Grill, whilst Charlie Vargas steps into the role of Executive Chef at QT Perth.
Mirroring his success from the West, Wood brings Mediterranean flair served with style, sensitivity and a little swagger to Sydney’s institutional Gowings Bar & Grill. The new lunch and dinner menu is available now with Wood’s local grower and producer relationships on display including Western Australian sourced Abrolhos Island Octopus with crisp pancetta, green peppers, basil and black garlic, Heirloom Carrots with black garlic tahini, puffed rice and sesame, and soon to be crowd favourite shared dish, Swordfish Cutlet from Queensland’s Mooloolaba with green olives, capers, lemon and parsley.
“Sydney has one of the best food scenes in Australia. Period. I’m excited to be part of the action. I’m looking forward to bringing some of WA’s best produce to the Gowings kitchen and firing up the grill to deliver a menu of simplistic elegance,” said Wood.
The design evolution of Gowings Bar & Grill is expected to take place mid-June, in collaboration with QT Hotels’ Creative Food Director Rob Marchetti and Director of Culinary Adam Petta.
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