Vivid Chef Series

Overview

An annual highlight of Vivid's food program, Vivid Chef Series returns with a celebration of world-class cuisine unlike any other. Across a series of special dinners, a pair of chefs — one a homegrown hero, the other an international talent — joins forces to curate unique menus melding their distinct yet complementary cultural and professional backgrounds.

First up, Fred's Executive Chef Ben Greeno teams up with London's Max Coen of Notting Hill bistro Dorian for four exclusive dinners. A newly minted Michelin-starred chef, Coen's elegant, fuss-free food is proof that fine-dining needs no bells or whistles when superb produce and flawless execution will suffice. Working with Greeno, the pair are delivering a five-course feast in the heart of Paddington from Sunday, May 26–Wednesday, May 29.

Christopher Pearce

From Tuesday, May 28–Thursday, May 30, The Charles Brasserie and Bar Executive Chef Billy Hannigan is partnering with award-winning young chef Sally Abé, who is known for cooking that champions the UK's best seasonal produce. Abé is summoning the same refined British nostalgia that can be found on her menu at London's The Pem restaurant, but with an infusion of Australian ingredients. Alongside Hannigan, The Charles' Head Pastry Chef Rhiann Mead (formerly of Bennelong) is also be on deck, serving up a showstopping dessert that fuses the hearty flavours of Blighty with the delicacy of French pâtisserie.

Next, the robust, earthy dishes of central Europe mingles with the spice and colour of Middle Eastern fare at Aalia in Martin Place. Ivan Brehm, the head chef and owner of Michelin-starred Singaporean diner Nouri, is sharing the double-hatted kitchen of Aalia's Paul Farag for two dinners on Tuesday, June 11–Wednesday, June 12.

The last collaboration in the series pairs Ghanaian chef Selassie Atadika with Steven Hartert, the Executive Chef at Dixson and Sons, the upmarket brasserie at the Porter House Hotel. Over two nights across Friday, June 14–Saturday, June 15, Selassie's passion for underutilised and sustainable produce shares the plate with Hartert's talent for sophisticated fusions for a meal where heritage and innovation are key ingredients.

Top image: Steven Woodburn.