Concrete Playground’s Guide to Where Chefs Eat

With restaurants opening in Sydney every other day, it can turn into a full-time task trying to keep in-the-know. Advice on where to eat from someone who really knows their stuff is your one-way ticket to a finger-licking, stomach-patting culinary experience.

Who better to ask than up-and-coming and top-of-their-game Sydney chefs? These guys are the lauded creatives who live and breathe food and are here to tell us where to eat no matter the occasion.

Dan Hong eats at Golden Century

Dan Hong has been climbing the ranks of Merivale since 2008. Hong opened super cool Asian diner Ms G's in 2010 and moved on to the epic Mr. Wong just last year. He has also headed up a string of recent El Loco pop-ups.

My favourite late-night eat is ... "Golden Century is hands-down number one because it's open until 4am in the morning and they have fantastic live seafood." If Hong had to take an international chef out for a bite his preference would be to lead them on a "massive eating expedition in Cabramatta to show them how good our Vietnamese/Cambodian/Lao/Chinese food really is".

Andrew 'Gomez' Braham eats at Sixpenny

Adam 'Gomez' Braham has been around the cheffing traps for quite sometime. He started working in Sydney for hatters like Quay and Aria before flexing his egg-beating muscles in Europe and then in Monaco cooking for Russian billionaires.

If I were to entertain a visiting chef I would take them to ... "Sixpenny because they showcase the best Australian produce in their food. You can go to restaurants for a view, but at the end of the day all a chef wants to look at is the kitchen, the plates and the food that comes out on them."

For a late-night feed, Braham's choice would be Arisun for their deep-fried chicken in "all its mouth-watering glory," accompanied by a mini five litre keg of beer for the table.

Image credit: Joseph Ng.

Jamie Thomas eats at 3 Weeds

Jaime Thomas hails from the mother country and has been in the business for about 22 years. Being English, a love of old pubs with loads of character is practically in Thomas' DNA, so it makes perfect sense he's executive chef at the Drink n' Dine Group which includes The Abercrombie, The Norfolk and The Forresters.

For a casual meal, nothing beats ... "A beer and a burger at 3 Weeds in Rozelle." Lauren Murdoch has just taken over as chef at this popular pub, which has a separate restaurant serving dishes like crumbed lamb brains, and pork belly and chorizo meatballs.

Brent Savage eats at Quay

Brent Savage, the chef that took the stiff back out of fine dining with his restaurant Bentley, has done it again. Hi latest venture, Monopole, is a casual eatery with a wine list at its heart.

If I had to take a chef out, I'd take them to ... "Quay or Sepia for the technique-driven food and for the full fine dining experience."

Savage's late-night choice is Chat Thai and of a Sunday? You'll find him sipping green tea and eating dim sum at Zilver Restaurant in front of Capitol Square. One of the best places for yum cha in town, so we're told.

Daniel Puskas eats at Fleetwood Macchiato

Daniel Puskas is one half of the duo behind Stanmore eatery Sixpenny. A night at this place is most definitely something special. Local produce is key with both Puskas and co-owner James Parry growing their own produce on a lot in the Southern Highlands. Then of course there's their famous kitchen garden out back.

On Sundays I eat at ... "Fleetwood Macchiato or newbie Brickfields for family day with my daughter Isobel and partner Alicia. Brickfields has a seriously tempting array of sweet, crumbly things whipped up by Simon Cancio who previously worked his floury magic at Luxe.

And if eating with a foreigner? "If it was before midday most likely Zilver for dumplings and if after a night out it'd most likely be Golden Century or Arisun. In between, some of my favourite places to take people are Rockpool Bar & Grill for a burger, Berta or Billy Kwong and for something special it would be Quay, Marque or Sepia," said Puskas.

Chui Lee Luk eats at Din Tai Fung

Chui Lee Luk stepped into very large shoes when she took over Claude's as its fourth owner, a mainstay of Sydney's dining scene for the past 36 years. Luk's Asian heritage has helped keep Claude's relevant; she's added unexpected flavours to the menu while maintaining the restaurant's French heritage. She's also split the restaurant in two, with a more casual space downstairs and the full degustation experience upstairs.

If eating with a fellow chef, I'd take them to ... "Northern Dixon Street in Chinatown because it's full of Chinese regional cuisines like Xinjiang, showing how Eastern cuisine translates overseas. Black Star Pastry is also great for new and old-fashioned pastries, and to experience Newtown."

If Luk was looking for a bite under $15, she would hit up Din Tai Fung for dumplings, Northern Noodle House for zhajiang mian and Ichiban Boshi for ramen.

Steven Skelly eats at Sean's Panorama

Steven Skelly is British-born but now a fixture of Sydney's dining scene after quickly making a name for himself when he moved here ten years ago. Landing first at Hugo's in Bondi, he moved to Bilson's and won the restaurant its third hat. He now calls The Sailors Club, an apt place for him to express his love of Australian seafood.

For a casual Sunday, Skelly eats at ... "Sean's Panorama for its laid-back attitude more than anything else. They rarely have a double sitting so it can turn into a long BYO-allowed lunch!"

Steven also tells us he's had great meals at Marque and Sepia.