The chef who spearheaded Sunda and Aru in Melbourne will officially move to Sydney to front The Bentley Group’s latest restaurant.
Khanh Nguyen announced he had exited The Windsor Group back in July, and said he was “eager to script the unwritten pages that lie ahead”.
Now, his next move has been confirmed, with the culinary talent appointed executive chef of King Clarence, which is slated to open its doors in the CBD on 1 December.
It’s a full-circle moment for the Nguyen, who worked for the group seven years ago.
“Throughout my career I’ve always looked up to Brent [Savage] and Nick [Hildebrandt] as role models,” says Nguyen. “We built a great relationship when I was working with them have stayed in touch.
“They’ve both been amazing mentors for me and I’m so excited to work alongside them once again at King Clarence.”
King Clarence will serve cuisine described as ‘contemporary Asian’, with Nguyen working alongside Savage to put together the menu.
While there’s no word on any official dishes just yet, the kitchen will be equipped with a custom BBQ and grill, and the venue will also have its own live seafood tank.
On the beverage front, Polly Mackeral will move from Cirrus to take on the head sommelier role after a big year, which saw her and Hildebrandt secure the Judy Hirst Award for Australia’s Wine List of the Year.
King Clarence will open for lunch and dinner Monday to Sunday – advance bookings are now open.