Following the recent departure of Joel Bickford to Aria, The Gantry has been on the hunt for a new head chef to lead its food direction for the year ahead. It seems they didn’t have to search too hard and too far with the announcement that Thomas Gorringe has landed the role.

Gorringe is from the southern highlands, and worked as head chef at Eschalot before moving first to Bentley and finally The Gantry in 2016. He was a finalist in the Electrolux Young Chef of the Year in 2017 and now, at 29, has been promoted to the role of head chef at the Pier One establishment.

“I am very excited to lead a brigade of passionate young chefs, all under 30, who are driven to celebrate their love of Australian ingredients in one of Sydney’s most historic harbourside locations,” says Gorringe of his new position. Working alongside sommelier and restaurant general manager James Heggie (formerly of Lumi) he has introduced a new menu that celebrates sustainability and Australian ingredients available as both a traditional a la carte, and a six-course degustation.

Gorringe’s first menu foray has a particular focus on seafood, with dishes including WA honey bugs with macadamia, cucamelons and avocado. There’s also a charcoal-grilled Paroo Kangaroo with pickled pear, radicchio and juniper that sounds equally mouth-watering. Desserts follow a similar tact to mains when it comes to native ingredients, with a feijoa and passionfruit dish, as well as an all indulgent dulce de leche, buckwheat and cocoa nibs concoction for the sweet of tooth.