Beloved Sydney restaurant Quay is back since closing its doors from April 1 for a major redesign in both menu and interiors (just in time for a delicious. reader dinner on July 30). Fink Group and the venue’s executive chef Peter Gilmore have overhauled the much loved Australian institution, resulting in a space that the group’s John Fink and Gilmore believe will change opinions about fine dining. “People’s expectations around fine dining are often minding your Ps and Qs, we want to boldly move into uncharted territory in Australian fine dining by thinking outside the box and considering the dining experience as a sum of its parts,” explains Fink.

The fine-dining restaurant’s dining room is completely changed; so too is the kitchen, the menu and the overall dining experience. Architectural firm Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, the same firm responsible for Bennelong and OTTO Brisbane, led the multi-million-dollar refurbishment of the space and have taken inspiration from Gilmore’s nature-inspired cuisine for the revamp, as well as its views of neighbouring Sydney Harbour. The brief for the project was simply ‘the biggest little restaurant in Australia’ and has resulted in the dining room being reduced from 100 seats to 80, and the allocation of small, intimate dining spaces. The dining space has also been moved to face the Harbour Bridge, to make the most of Quay’s sweeping views of Sydney’s famed landmark.

The new space is heavy on natural forms and curves, in an ode to the original design of George Freedman, who crafted the ceiling in 1988. There are plenty of other natural references to boot, from lava stone glazed to look like cracked bark, and a series of blue carpet pools referencing the ocean. Dining tables have been crafted from custom timber, made from sustainable solid spotted gum by Planet Furniture, and will be on display loud and proud with a promise from Quay that no linen is to be used for the first time in its 30-year history. Chairs will be as unique as the restaurant itself; the Fink Group has commissioned ‘The Quay Chair’ from designer Adam Goodrum who has created a purpose-built frame in a range of organic colours with chevron detailing, in honour of the Opera House’s iconic shells. Quay has also welcomed a ten-seat private dining space as a part of this new design that faces said Opera House, a room that features wall-to-ceiling mirrors and an elliptical table.

Group general manager of the Fink Group Jeremy Courmadias has confirmed that new interiors match a new experience offered by the restaurant. Diners can expect an experience “underpinned by a generous dose of humble, personalised hospitality aligned with a sense of understated luxury,” he says. “There is an association with fine dining that often overwhelms people. As a family business it was important to ensure guests feel comfortable and relaxed in order to enjoy and appreciate the Quay experience.” First and foremost this relates to a more personalised experience, where each dining space is looked after individually by a dedicated manager. “I have found in my travels that the best service has always come in smaller, more personal restaurants where you can engage with the staff,” says Fink. Lighting will also be able to be independently controlled, changing throughout the evening to suit guests and seating times. “Lighting plays a big role in a dining experience; when you arrive, you want to be able to read the menu. As the meal progresses so does the lighting. By the end of the night, it’s moody and relaxed. We have added those luxurious items guests didn’t even know they needed,” continues Fink.

Executive chef Peter Gilmore’s new menu is focused on rare ingredients, those heavy on texture and flavour. The restaurant will offer a signature ten-course tasting menu to guide the diner through his new dishes, as well as a six-course menu with a choice of main to be available Sunday to Thursday for dinner, and Friday to Sunday for lunch. The recent revamp has given Gilmore a chance to reinvent his food direction; “Wiping the slate clean was a huge challenge, but ultimately very rewarding. It gave me the opportunity to reevaluate everything from the smallest detail up,” he says. Gilmore has been working closely alongside the farmers, fishermen, producers and artisans in order to cultivate bespoke produce exclusively for Quay, and a new food team including chef de cuisine Rob Kabboord, senior sous chefs Tim Mifsud and Troy Crisante, and a brigade of 35 other chefs.

One of Gilmore’s biggest challenges was offering fans of Quay a replacement for legendary but now retired dessert the snow egg. But he has managed to create a treat that he feels is the snow egg’s equal. “This dish took the longest to evolve and get right, I’m calling it White Coral,” he says. “The dish is a very light white chocolate ganache that has been super aerated under vacuum and then frozen with liquid nitrogen. The effect is a light, porous structure that resembles an organic piece of white coral. This is served on a feijoa ice cream with a coconut cream. The white coral is shattered with a spoon by the diner and the flavours of feijoa, coconut and white chocolate harmonise in a light and refreshing yet intense way.”

The Quay wine list mirrors Gilmore’s preference for locally sourced produce. The 500+ wine list will be updated weekly by head sommelier Shanteh Wong, with help from assistant head sommelier Seamus Brandt. Leading the bar team is Taka Shino, who has created a cocktail list of 20 drinks to partner the dining experience. Quay will be open from July 19, seven nights a week from 6pm. The restaurant will open for lunch from August 3, Friday through to Sunday from 12.00pm-2.00pm. delicious. readers can be among the first to experience the new Quay with a reader dinner to be held at the venue on July 30.