The Northern Rivers migration is showing no signs of losing steam. The once sleepy stretch of coast is now thick with city talent as the influx of ambitious chefs swapping the big smoke for the beach continues. 

Melbourne’s Tim Goegan is the latest to decamp, taking up residence at The Eltham Hotel in the Byron hinterland. The pub was acquired by Matt Rabbidge and Luke Sullivan in 2020.

Goegan is bringing his fine dining smarts – earned crafting lobster rolls at Andrew McConnell’s Supernormal and Euro bistro classics at Gimlet – to the iconic Byron watering hole, but not at the expense of house faves like the chicken parmy or dill pickle-stuffed Eltham burger.

“The goal from the start was not to rip the main offering off the menu as people expect a certain type of thing when they go to the pub,” says Goegan. “However I’ll be adding new interesting items to the specials board as well as the main menu to showcase what the Northern Rivers has to offer.”

The McConnell alumni is working with local farmers to help him roll out umami bombs like a flatbread with seaweed butter and saltbush. He’s also lining up a series of guest chef dinners, kicking off with a Cantonese barbecue with Louis Tikaram in April. Later in the year, he’ll recruit chefs from pubs across the country for a series of kitchen takeovers.

“It’ll be a chance for regulars to experience the best in pub fare from the comfort of their own local!”

The Eltham Hotel
441 Eltham Rd, Eltham NSW 2480
Elthampub.com.au

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