Ovolo Hotels has announced chef Ian Curley is joining the group as creative culinary partner for Australia.
The chef has spent the past 25 years working in Melbourne kitchens spearheading renowned restaurants including French Saloon and Kirks Wine Bar and has also dabbled in the consulting world, lending his expertise to venues such as Craig’s Royal Hotel in Ballarat.
Most recently, Curley teamed up with Shannon Martinez to launch vegan restaurant Lona Misa within Ovolo’s South Yarra hotel.
The chef will oversee all of Ovolo’s culinary operations in Australia covering Monster in Canberra, The Inchcolm Bar in Brisbane and Lona Misa.
Curley will collaborate with Ovolo Creative Culinary Consultants Roy Ner and Matthew Kenney on Brisbane’s Za Za Ta and Sydney’s Alibi respectively and spend time with the group’s up-and-coming talent.
“It’s the best role I could have asked for,” says Curley.
“I am really enjoying lifting an already high benchmark of the food we offer in our restaurants and working alongside these people who inspire me with their enthusiasm as much as I mentor them.”
