This Just In: In Huge News for Our Food-Obsessed City, Chef's Table Star Dominique Crenn Will Open Her First Venue Outside of the USA in Melbourne This Year
Rooted in French hospitality, Petit Crenn will reflect Crenn's signature approach to French bistro cooking, shaped by Melbourne's globally renowned dining culture.
Globally acclaimed chef Dominique Crenn, the first female chef in the United States to ever be awarded three Michelin stars for her flagship restaurant Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, has set her sights on Melbourne to expand her legendary culinary offering. Slated to open in October, Petit Crenn, an all-day venue inspired by the comptoirs of Paris, is set to be one of Australia's most significant hospitality openings in recent years.
"Petit Crenn comes from my own life, from the cafes in France where you can sit for five minutes or five hours and always feel welcome. I've wanted to bring that feeling to Australia for a long time, and Melbourne, with its curiosity and its love of good food, felt like exactly the right place to do it. I can't wait to open the doors and share this with the city," says Crenn.
Rooted in French hospitality, Petit Crenn will reflect Crenn's signature approach to French bistro cooking, shaped by Melbourne's globally renowned dining culture. The intimate 40-seat venue, designed by Crenn herself, draws on the landscapes and coastlines of Crenn's home region of Brittany, France.
Crenn's menu will feature signatures such as steak tartare, croque madame, seasonal tartines and salads, and classic French pastries. A daily rotating plat du jour will highlight seasonal produce elevated with French technique, such as French ravioles with onion consommé and moules.
The new restaurant will open in partnership with Australian alternative asset manager Salter Brothers, which boasts a growing portfolio of hotels, restaurants and lifestyle destinations. "This is a landmark moment for Australian dining. Dominique Crenn is one of the world's most celebrated culinary voices, and to bring her vision to Australia for the first time is incredibly special. Petit Crenn reflects exactly the type of partnership we are focused on building: globally recognised talent, a distinctive hospitality concept, and a city with the energy and appetite to embrace it. Melbourne is the right place, and this is the right moment," says Matthew Butcher, director of culinary at Salter Brothers.
Petit Crenn is slated to open at 495 Collins Street in October. Watch this space for further details, and in the meantime, check out the best restaurants in the CBD.
Images: Supplied.
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