Renowned chef Mike McEnearney is getting ready to launch From Here by Mike, a new restaurant at 1 Hotel Melbourne set to become equal parts local dining institution and must-try drawcard for hotel guests.

Located on the banks of the Yarra in the CBD, 1 Hotel Melbourne was created with sustainable luxury front and centre, and From Here by Mike will showcase this on a plate, with a focus on deliciously prepared local produce.

Speaking just weeks before the restaurant’s launch, McEnearney is full of praise for 1 Hotel Melbourne’s efforts, explaining that it was the ethos behind the international 1 Hotels brand, the social spaces, focus on sustainability and wellness that cemented his decision to form a partnership.

“My core values are buying seasonally, locally and taking a less-is-more approach,” he says.

“They’re really personal indicators, and it was hard to find a hotel group that does that. (But) I did my research on 1 Hotels, and it was incredible the amount of synergies that we have in our core values.” 

For example, the hotel’s use of recycled water for irrigation and a focus on reducing waste, and even zero-waste mattresses all indicate that 1 Hotel Melbourne is paying much more than lip service to sustainability. Plus the restaurant and hotel will be home to a combined total of about 7000 plants.

Artfully designed to incorporate nature-inspired elements, the restaurant space is an elegant yet warm and inviting reflection of McEnearney and 1 Hotels’ shared commitment to elevated experiences underpinned by sustainable practices.

PASSION FOR NOURISHMENT

While McEnearney has always had a focus on quality ingredients, he says his current drive to cook nourishing food ethically and sustainably was inspired by an experience he had back in 2009, while he was living with his wife’s family in Wales.

“She [his mother-in-law] has this self-sufficient farm in the middle of Wales,” McEnearney says. “It’s 120 organic acres, and it’s totally self-sufficient.

“Living off the land, you become very connected to the land. We had this kitchen garden, and we were growing lots of different vegetables, living off these beautiful vegetables.”

Not only were they living organically, McEnearney says that the family was connected with their local community, with some of the garden beds even being used by a local “white witch”, who grew various herbs for medicinal purposes.

“I thought, ‘This is fascinating’,” he says. “It started a really different way of me thinking about food.”

CHAMPIONING VICTORIA

Since returning to Australia, McEnearney has taken this passion and turned it into a number of projects, including his popular Kitchen by Mike in Sydney, as well as running open-air pop-up venues, including one at the open-air opera in Sydney.

From Here by Mike will be the chef’s first venture in Victoria, and he is thrilled to work with local producers to develop a menu that will change with the seasons, yet retain a focus on nourishment and sustainability.

Driven by the quality and variation of produce in Victoria, McEnearney says he has spent a lot of time developing relationships with growers who share his ethos.

“I’m meeting people constantly,” he says. “And that’s something that really excites me, because I’m working with smaller producers who specialise in particular things.”

McEnearney says the way he is working is more akin to a boutique operation, and to launch this within a hotel has been a challenge he has relished.

“To do [what we’re doing] in a hotel landscape is like turning the Titanic, because you’re dealing with a massive space, a massive operation,” he says.

“So what we’re doing is quite rare. It’s exciting for us to be able to champion Victoria. The whole focus of From Here by Mike will be a love letter to the land of Victoria.”

The names of each producer – along with a map of their location – will be featured on the restaurant menu, to underscore the hyperlocal nature of the venue, and to shine a spotlight on the people who work to deliver high-quality produce to our dining tables.

“For example, if I’m working with a leek, I’m going to take a less-is-more approach and really champion that leek – and the farmer who grew it,” McEnearney says.

EVOLVING MENU

Diners can expect a menu that will evolve throughout the day. 

“It’s about serving good things that people feel nourished by eating,” McEnearney says. “So breakfast is about really healthy, light eating.”

The chef says that instead of a traditional hotel buffet at breakfast, diners can expect a menu filled with nutritious options, such as a seeded nut loaf topped with miso, avocado and coriander salad.

“That’s such a lovely thing to have for breakfast, with or without a poached egg,” he says. “It’s just a really healthy, wholesome breakfast.”

For lunch, McEnearney designed a menu with nearby office workers in mind, tailoring it so those with limited time can still enjoy a quality dining experience.

“We really want people to take an hour out of their day,” he says. “We’ll do a set menu, where you’ll have a main and two sides.”

In the evening, McEnearney says it’s all about slowing down and forming real connections with the people you’re dining with.

“Dinner for me is about community and gathering around a table,” he says. “It’s about bringing conversation together and having an interest in the food that talks of provenance and seasons. 

“We’ve designed a menu to share with friends. To me, that’s a great way to eat.”

As well as maintaining a focus on Victorian produce, McEnearney says the wine list will heavily feature varieties from across the state.

“We’ve actually got 12 whites and 12 reds by the glass,” he says. “That’s a big focus for us, and the majority of them are Victorian, so you can take a flight of wines through Victoria.”

Like the food, the wine selected by McEnearney (yes, he designed the wine list in addition to crafting the menu) shares his ethos of sustainability and minimal intervention

“It’s by small producers who are really focusing on what they’re doing,” he says. “They’re using minimal sulphites or no sulphites. It’s not just natural wine, but people who really care about the wine. You’ll see no mass-produced options on the menu. I had to have a connection with the wine growers. It’s a beautiful thing.”

McEnearney says he hopes the carefully crafted menu will inspire more people to think about focusing on nourishing foods and eating sustainably.

“That’s really exciting for us,” he says.

1 Hotel Melbourne opens this June. With a focus on sustainability and
connection with nature, the hotel is much more than a place to stay –
it’s a destination in itself. Experience a new type of luxury at 1 Hotel Melbourne.