Chef Luke Mangan

It’s all about enhancing and accentuating the natural taste of the ingredients.

Luke Mangan is one of Australia’s leading chefs and restaurateurs and is highly regarded internationally as a shining example of Australia’s culinary culture.

His career started in Melbourne under Herman Schneider, of ‘Two Faces’ fame. After completing his training, Luke persuaded Michel Roux of the 3 Michelin starred ‘Waterside Inn’ in London to give him a chance. He believes that working under these great chefs in the early years were the two most important steps he took to learn his craft.

Luke currently owns and operates glass brasserie, Hilton Sydney; Salt grill, Hilton Surfers Paradise; Salt grill and Salt tapas & bar, Singapore; Salt and the adjoining World Wine Bar, Tokyo; and Salt grill onboard three P&O cruise liners. He is also the consulting chef for Virgin Australia.

While Luke’s restaurants range from casual to fine dining establishments, they share the common thread of Luke’s cooking philosophy – which is to source the finest and freshest local and Australian ingredients and showcase them with a clean and contemporary twist. Luke is renowned for his unexpected creations, which highlight his French classical training and Asian influences, married with simple, fresh, clean flavours. Luke’s cooking aims to enhance and accentuate, rather than mask, the natural taste of the ingredients.

In addition to running eight busy restaurants, Luke has written four best-selling cookbooks and most recently, his autobiography ‘The Making of a Chef’. He has launched his own range of gourmet products and also makes regular appearances on number of TV shows, both in Australia and internationally.

Further testaments to Luke’s excellence are the requests he has received to cook for, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Richard Branson, Tom Cruise and at the wedding of Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary.

Luke regularly donates his culinary skills to both community and industry organisations to raise money for charity. He supports Camp Quality, Newman’s Own Foundation, Cure The Future and FSHD Global Research Foundation, amongst numerous others.

He is the co-founder of the Appetite for Excellence hospitality awards program which promotes the development of young chefs, waiters and restaurateurs in
Australia.

Luke was recently presented with a ‘Friend of Australia’ award; the program which is run by Tourism Australia, is extended to a select few, whose outstanding achievements and contributions give them a voice on the world stage, assisting to promote Australia as a travel destination.

From a family of seven boys who grew up in Melbourne, Luke currently lives in Sydney but travels constantly to his restaurants and events around the world.