Beach Byron Bay’s new head chef, David Lovett, has previously commanded the kitchens of a number of Sydney’s top venues, including Uccello, bills, Dank St Depot, North Bondi Italian and Bayswater Brasserie. “I jumped at the chance to get out of the city and work in an amazing town full of wonderful produce,” Lovett said. “It’s an incredible venue with beach front views from the kitchen. I would have been crazy to turn that down. And when Leon Fink asks you to do something you can’t really say no.”

Lovett’s son Archie and partner, Sarah Millett, the current operations manager at Quay, will all make the move up to Byron Bay. “Archie has always wanted to live in the country, so to be able to give him that sort of up bringing was a no-brainer,” Lovett said. “A big backyard, pair of Blundstone boots and a dog is all he has ever wanted.” “It was a harder decisions for Sarah as she had to walk away from Quay, but she’s still part of the Fink family up here and for the pair of us it’s a wonderful challenge and adventure,” he said.

“It’s the first time I’ve cooked food that I truly want to cook without being pigeonhole into a genre or style,” Lovett said. “Diners can expect food that has roots firmly bedded in Italy but using local produce to make it my own – a Byron spin.” Pictured: Roasted prawns with curry leaves and burnt butter

Lovett promises to serve up dishes that display his respect for good produce. Comprising a few simple ingredients, carefully selected and served at their best, these will initially be available at lunch before a dinner service is added in the warmer months. Pictured: Grilled whole fish of the day with caper leaves, butter and lemon

“In the end, we didn’t need to convince David to come on board,” Beach Byron Bay owner Ben Kirkwood said. “David fell in love with Byron Bay, the produce, the venue and the opportunities that it presented.” Pictured: Pici cuttle e pepe

“Our collaboration with the Fink Group has really has given us the opportunity to take Beach Byron Bay to the next level,” Kirkwood said. “With Belinda and my experience of the local market combined with the Fink Group’s experience of running high end metropolitan restaurants, I think we’ve created something unique for Byron Bay.” “The Fink Group stable of restaurants all offer a different experience with the common thread of high quality so it’s nice to be a part of that. I believe Beach complements the other restaurants well. Besides, the Fink Group is known for it’s waterside restaurants so we certainly fit into that category.” Pictured: Sardines on toast

In addition to the waterfront restaurant, the new and improved Beach will feature a take away kiosk with a menu designed for breakfasts on the go or beachside picnics. The menu includes take away items with an Italian twist such as bacon and egg rolls with Chianti tomato sauce, spaghetti and tomato jaffles (pictured), half roast chicken with corn salad, and crumbed fish and chips.

Beach has been a Byron Bay icon for nearly 30 years. The new set of renovations includes a kitchen featuring a wood grill and external building works with new sliding doors opening the restaurant up to the sand dunes. The restaurant has also undergone a rebrand and name transformation to reflect the change in direction under the Kirkwoods and the Fink Group.

“We are thrilled to have David on board and, even more so, excited to have a chef who shares our vision for doing food that complements our spectacular location,” Kirkwood said. “We are looking forward to this exciting next chapter and are confident that we will make a big impression in Byron Bay.”