Paul Farag, named Chef of the Year in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2025, will take up a six-week residency at Darley’s, the fine dining restaurant at Ardour Lilianfels Blue Mountains, from Wednesday 11 November to Sunday 20 December.
‘The Residence: Paul Farag at Darley’s’ brings the chef’s Egyptian-influenced cooking to the heritage-listed Katoomba estate, with lunch and dinner served across the week.
Matthew Butcher, director of culinary and creative experience at Salter Brothers Hospitality, said: “Lilianfels began life as a summer residence, so a chef residency felt like a natural fit. Paul is one of the most exciting cooks in the country, and we can’t wait for guests to sit down to his menu. It’s bright, generous food made for long lunches and dinners in the mountains.”
The menu opens with a set selection of snacks and entrées, followed by a choice of individual mains served with sides. Farag encourages guests to begin in the bar, with snacks and a cocktail or glass of bubbles, before moving through to the historic dining room overlooking the gardens. At the table, the meal begins with the breaking of bread: a wholemeal pita served with some of Farag’s favourite mezze.
Mains are chosen individually, as they have long been at Darley’s, though guests are encouraged to share plates and try as much as they can. Dishes include slow-roasted lamb neck with chermoula and tahini, dry-aged duck breast with walnut and pomegranate sauce, and the fish of the day with a tamarind brown butter sauce. Oysters and a larger-format steak will also be available as additions.
Farag said: “I want guests to come and experience a different side of Darley’s. It’s a dining room that has long had a real sense of occasion, and this menu brings the flavours of my Egyptian heritage together with the produce we’re lucky to have here in Australia. I’m looking forward to working with head chef Alan Kropman and the team to bring it to life.”
Born and raised in Sydney, Farag is best known for his time at the helm of Sydney’s two-hatted AALIA, where he helped set a new benchmark for modern Middle Eastern dining in Australia.
Guests wishing to stay the night can book ‘The Culinary Escape’, a room package that pairs dinner for two at Darley’s during the residency with overnight accommodation at Ardour Lilianfels and breakfast for two the next morning. Packages start from $754.
The Residence: Paul Farag at Darley’s runs from Wednesday 11 November to Sunday 20 December 2026, with dinner from Wednesday to Saturday and lunch from Friday to Sunday. The menu is $130 per person, with additional dishes available. Bookings via https://www.sevenrooms.com/
