A few months ago Phil Wood thought he would embrace the modern trend of foraging chefs and so set off along a narrow spit of land not far from the newly opened Pt. Leo Estate, where he is the culinary director.

The former Rockpool executive chef who moved to the Mornington Peninsula specifically to take up the post at the extensive 134-hectare property with a cellar door, restaurant and sculpture park, wasn’t prepared for the way the weather moves in on Western Port Bay. “I got stranded on the other side of a little stream that goes down to the beach at Pt. Leo,” he says. “The tide came in and I was stuck.”

Wood was rescued by his sous chef and hasn’t been foraging since.

While he might not be hunting and gathering the food for the restaurant at Pt. Leo Estate, Wood has been diligently searching the area in order to find the best local producers. “This is an amazing region for food and I feel lucky to be here,” he says. “Normally in a city restaurant I would be driven by an idea and look for produce afterwards, but here we find the produce and then make the dishes around that. That’s a refreshing way to do a menu.”

At the heart of the menu are offerings that have been imbued with flavour from the central wood-fired oven. Dishes include fried ricotta polenta, pickled fennel and caprinella, Dutch carrot soufflé, brown butter and wild scampi roe; wood-roasted flathead with macadamia and seaweed; and beef with warrigal greens and rosemary. While Wood says the flavours are robust and relatively rustic, the food is refined and accomplished.

The two dining rooms – one a 110-seat modern bistro and the other a fine dining space with 40 seats (yet to be opened) – are a sophisticated blend of natural wood, timber, glass and concrete that never compromise the long view out to the sculpture park and the ocean beyond.

After you’ve eaten (and make sure you leave room for dessert – the poached meringue with cherries and cream is a standout), take a wander around the sculptures with a Pinot Gris from the estate in hand.

The Gandel family owns the sculptures (and the estate) and the 50 or so pieces of art form Australia’s largest private collection of this sort, with contemporary works from domestic and international artists.

Geoffrey Edwards is the former curator of sculpture at the National Gallery of Victoria, and his role as curator of the estate has been to advise the Gandel family on acquisitions. “Pt. Leo Estate is unlike any in the land,” he says. “We want to have the best Australian sculptures along with the best in the world.”

He points to striking works by Australian greats such as Inge King and Clement Meadmore as well as sculptures from overseas artist, Tomokazu Matsuyama. “This is a stupendous location for a winery and sculpture park,” Edwards says. “It’s an extraordinary coastal location that works with the big sky and water. It’s a complete work of art – from the landscaping to the architecture to the food.”

It’s rare that such a new restaurant feels so assured, but this is no ordinary place to dine. The Mornington Peninsula is always popular spot, but with the arrival of Pt. Leo Estate, summer is looking hotter than ever.