Sydney culinary duo RJ (One Penny Red, Vernon’s Bar) and Liz Lines (Poly, One Penny Red) have launched Cheflines, a new catering and hospitality consulting business shaped by more than 25 years in kitchens, restaurants, and bars across Australia and Europe.
Cheflines launches as Sydney’s dining scene evolves, with Australians dining out more frequently, takeaway orders up 34%, and delivery spending rising 7% year on year – reflecting a growing appetite for both casual, accessible formats and personalised, memorable food experiences.
Led by hatted chef RJ Lines, Cheflines offers a dual approach: bespoke catering for private and corporate events, and hands-on consulting to help hospitality operators thrive in a rapidly evolving industry.
RJ’s hospitality career began in the late 1990s as a bartender before taking on chef and management roles across the UK, Italy and Spain. In 2014 he opened his first venture, One Penny Red and Vernon’s Bar, which went on to earn a coveted Chef’s Hat in 2019. During the pandemic, RJ successfully pivoted the restaurant into catering and takeaway, launching a bespoke in-home dining service and gourmet hampers that became the seed of Cheflines.
Liz Lines brings complementary expertise, having trained under RJ at Neutral Bay Diner before sharpening her skills at Poly (Ester Group) and returning to One Penny Red to support its catering pivot. Her mastery of pastry, fire-based cooking, smoking, and curing informs Cheflines’ bespoke menus.
“Running my own restaurant taught me not to fear change – to stay adaptable and true to your values,” RJ said. “Cheflines grew out of that lesson: people want food experiences that feel genuinely personal, and venues need practical support to adapt to today’s challenges.”
Cheflines’ catering delivers restaurant-quality dining in private settings, with tailored menus ranging from intimate dinner parties to milestone celebrations and weddings. Signature dishes include sourdough crumpets with spanner crab, bisque butter and Yarra Valley caviar, alongside produce driven creations like yoder-smoked beef short ribs with plum and molasses glaze.
On the consulting side, RJ brings hands-on experience from a decade as an award-winning owner-operator. His recent success rebranding Benny’s Cronulla saw a struggling venue repositioned with a new concept, design and menu, driving strong revenue growth.
“Unlike big consultancies, I work one-on-one with owners, drawing on my own experience of running a restaurant and bar for 10 years,” RJ said. “Every venue is different. It’s not a one size fits all approach.”
Cheflines is now available for private catering bookings and hospitality consulting projects across Sydney.
