Overview
Acclaimed chef Clare Smyth is set to open her latest venue Oncore on the 26th level of Sydney's Crown. Oncore and its hyper-seasonal and locally focused menu joins the likes of Nobu Matsuhisa's Nobu, Alessandro Pavoni's a'Mare, Silks and Woodcut as part of the dining options in the hotel and casino.
The acclaimed chef has a culinary resume that will drop any jaw. Smyth has been named World's Best Female Chef at the 2018 World's 50 Best Restaurants, has been awarded three Michelin stars for her London restaurant Core, and cooked at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. She also worked at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Alain Ducasse's Le Louis XV (both three Michelin starred-restaurants), guest judged on Netflix's The Final Table and, locally, appeared on MasterChef Australia.
Oncore will be Smyth's first restaurant outside of the United Kingdom.
The 68-seat venue was originally announced in January of 2020, but after some delays, it is finally set to open on Thursday, November 18. The restaurant will offer diners panoramic views of Sydney Harbour including the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.
As suggested by the name Oncore, a play on Smyth's original London outpost, it aims to bring the Core experience to Sydney while giving it an Australian spin, utilising local Australian producers and placing sustainability at the core of its practices.
Some of Smyth's most renowned dishes have made their way over from the UK, including slow-cooked potato topped with smoked trout and herring roe. The Potato and Roe served with beurre blanc has become a fan-favourite of the London restaurant's menu and is sure to delight Sydneysiders at Oncore. The dish pays homage to Smyth's childhood in Northern Ireland and will be made with potatoes sustainably farmed in the NSW southern highlands.
Another highlight from the menu is the Beef and Oysters, which is inspired by the Victorian-era English beef, oyster and stout pie. At Oncore, the dish will combine Wapengo and Wagonga oysters with NSW Shiro Kin Fullblood Wagyu beef.
The Oncore cellar will house more than 3000 bottles of wine in its cellar, with drops from Australia, Bordeaux, Burgundy and vineyards across both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere available to pair with the food. If you're looking to have a little fun with your drinks, there will also be a small cocktail bar on hand serving a reserved selection of inventive cocktails with views of the water.
Joining Smyth as part of the Oncore team is Bennelong's former Restaurant Manager Michael Stoddart. The hospitality veteran started his journey in the kitchen at London's SoHo House and has worked at restaurants across the globe over the last decade.
Oncore by Clare Smyth will open on Thursday, November 18 on Level 26 of Crown Sydney, 1 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo.