The ex-Urbane chef, with a resume including stints at former world No. 1 restaurants Mugaritz and El Bulli, both in Spain, will launch Australia’s first vegan degustation-only restaurant in Noosa called Phyto.

Named after the Ancient Greek word for plant, the eatery will be the signature venue of Noosa’s exclusive new Parkridge residential development and will showcase Cancino’s passion for environmentally sustainable and ethical fare.

“I feel it could be a huge opportunity to do something that no one is doing,” he says.

“For me it’s a new path and a new exploration. I’m super excited and super happy for the whole experience.”

Cancino is meeting with designers this week to finalise a concept for the space, but says it will have 16-18 seats, with six at a bar.

“I want the room to be working together with the menu,” he says.

“Decorating the room with things from the menu.”

As for the menu, Cancino says he wants it to showcase clean flavours, be straight to the point, and not obviously vegan.

He will be going back to his homeland of Argentina in July and also travelling through Asia and Australia to gain inspiration for dishes, and says working with local producers and discovering new ingredients that can be used in fresh and interesting ways is incredibly important to him.

He also plans to offer a matching drinks menu that will include vegan and organic wines as well as non-alcoholic options, such as roasted cereal teas and iced teas that aren’t overly sweet.

The degustation restaurant will only open three nights a week, and may be closed for up to four months of the year to give Cancino time to recap and work on new ideas, as well as juggle his other successful business, Fenn Foods, which makes a range of vegan products including sesame cheeses and his beef substitute Veef.

“It leaves freedom for me to be creative, which I think is key,” he says.

But Phyto won’t be the only new project for Cancino.

Right next door at Parkridge he will also open a sister venue to his Sunshine Coast vegan cafe Lola’s Pantry in Kuluin.

He will downsize the original site and make Lola’s 2.0 his signature venue.

At around 90 seats, it will serve a mix of healthy and indulgent dishes from salads to French toast and pancakes with homemade ice creams.

“I don’t want people to feel like they have to stop eating the food they like (because it’s plant-based) so I’ll keep some indulgent food too,” says Cancino.

The cafe will feature a large outdoor area filled with greenery, including herb gardens and palm trees, as well as a separate deli area selling his range of Fenn products.

The chef hopes to open Lola’s in September, followed by Phyto in November or December.

“I’m doing it because I want to do something good, so I want to make sure I’m ready,” he says.

This article originally appeared in the Courier Mail.