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Midnight finishes, split shifts and weekend slogs – the hospitality grind is hardly conducive to leisurely lunches or Saturday bar-hopping. But Melbourne’s rising service stars still know their way around town (and beyond).
This year’s five finalists for the Age Good Food Guide Katie McCormack Young Service Talent award spend their days and nights serving tables at some of Victoria’s most revered establishments, all with unwavering charisma. But off the clock, they’re just as comfortable tucking into a pub schnitty in the inner ’burbs, slurping noodles in the CBD or chasing small plates at a Hobart wine bar.
All aged 30 or under, these front-of-house professionals are shaping the future of Australian dining – and they’ve got the favourite haunts to prove it.
Kirra Pemberton, Lenny’s Wine Room
From waiting tables as a teenager to opening her own venue aged just 25, Pemberton, now 27, says she’s not in the industry for the money. At Lenny’s Wine Room in Richmond, she wants to provide genuine service and a welcoming space for guests – skills she’s learnt over 10 years in hospitality while taking inspiration from restaurants interstate and abroad.
What’s your favourite restaurant outside of Melbourne, and why?
Sonny in Hobart is one of my all-time favourite restaurants. It’s a small wine bar in the heart of the city, seating only a handful of guests, which is part of what makes it so special. You really feel a part of the venue, especially when seated at the bar, where small dishes are prepared and the wines are poured. Vinyl records are carefully chosen to match the atmosphere, and the service is so attentive.
What’s the last restaurant dish you ate that blew you away, and why?
Recently, I was lucky enough to reserve a table at The Four Horsemen in Brooklyn, NYC, a small venue with only a handful of tables. The whole meal was great, but the standout was the cheesecake. It was the best I’ve ever eaten. There was no crust or anything fancy, but it was covered in golden syrup. Simple but so delicious.
What’s your go-to pub in Melbourne, and what do you order?
My go-to is the Builders Arms in Fitzroy. I always order the half chicken; it’s simple and never misses. For a drink, I’m either having an Aperol spritz or a pot of Balter beer, depending on how I’m feeling.
What new restaurant are you excited to check out when it opens?
Bar Merenda in Daylesford recently closed its original location. I never got to go, but it was always on my list. They recently shared that they are relocating and opening a new wine bar and restaurant, which I am really excited to check out.
Daniel Richardson, Marion
Twenty-seven-year-old Richardson has racked up quite the resume working at some of Victoria’s top restaurants. He started out as a manager at now-closed Coldstream winery fine-diner Oakridge, before moving on to hatted restaurants across the state, including the likes of Carlton Wine Room, Polperro winery and Etta. You’ll find him now at Fitzroy’s Marion.
What’s the best un-fancy thing that you dine out on regularly?
Lulu’s Char Koay Teow on Hardware Lane in the city is always in regular restaurant rotation. The duck egg char kwai teow has to be one of my favourite un-fancy things to eat.
What’s the last restaurant dish you ate that blew you away, and why?
A few months ago, I had the pappardelle ripiene at Carlton’s Bar Olo – a dish of coiled and stuffed pappardelle pasta. This time it was filled with Jerusalem artichoke and served with hazelnut pesto. It’s rich, earthy and nutty –arguably the perfect winter pasta.
What’s your go-to pub in Melbourne, and what do you order?
Mount Erica Hotel in Prahran is my go-to when craving a chicken schnitzel, served here with fresh bocconcini, lemon and cabbage slaw. I often add a bottle of champagne. Mount Erica has one of my favourite pub wine lists.
What new restaurant are you excited to check out when it opens?
Daphne is scheduled to open in Brunswick East in November. Hannah Green (Etta) and her team epitomise warmth in hospitality, and I’m excited to see this translate into a new space.
Ally Watson, Maison Batard
As a guest experience manager in the opening team of Chris Lucas’ French-inspired fine diner Maison Batard, Watson has faced a few learning curves. The role is her first management position, one that has seen her hosting more than 1200 guests in a day across the site’s four levels while leading a team of 15. But the experience has only cemented her passion for efficient, warm hospitality.
What’s the best un-fancy thing that you dine out on regularly?
D’penyetz on Lygon Street in Carlton for a casual take on Indonesian food. I can’t get enough of their vegetarian mee goreng and their terong balado, a dish of fried eggplant with sambal. I could eat it every week (and I usually do).
What’s your favourite restaurant outside of Melbourne, and why?
Tedesca Osteria in Red Hill is my favourite restaurant in Victoria. It’s the perfect place for a long, slow lunch – my favourite kind of meal. The service and food are always perfect, and I love the fact that they encourage you to take a walk through the gardens between courses.
What’s your go-to coffee order, and from where?
I’ve never been a big coffee drinker, but I do love matcha. Matcha Kobo on Lonsdale Street is my favourite spot. Their drinks are hand-whisked, authentic and delicious. My go-to order is always an iced matcha latte, soy milk, no sweetener.
Where do you go for late-night eats after work? What are your picks from the menu?
Always Desi Dhaba on Flinders Street. Indian food is probably my favourite cuisine, and this spot is open until 2am every night, which is perfect for a late-night dinner after work. My absolute favourites are the baingan da bharta, a smoky curry of soft eggplant, and paneer in a buttery tomato-based makhani sauce. Desi Dhaba also has some of the best onion bhaji I’ve ever had.
Georgia Limacher, Gimlet
Aged just 26, Limacher has quickly risen through the ranks at Andrew McConnell’s Gimlet, having arrived from New Zealand two years ago and starting as a section waiter, then gradually moving up to becoming a sommelier at the two-hatted fine diner. Passing her sommelier exam was a particularly monumental achievement for Limacher, who cut her teeth in the industry at her parents’ restaurant in Wellington.
What’s your go-to pub in Melbourne, and what’s your order?
The Lincoln in Carlton. The staff are awesome and the menu is consistently good. My usual order is one of the best Bloody Marys in town, with the mussels and fries. They also have a fun, approachable wine list.
What’s your favourite bar on your night off?
I love Pendant Public Bar in Fitzroy. The team there delivers such good times, and the dogs are a great bonus! My go-to is either their house Old Fashioned or a cheeky pint of Guinness.
What new restaurant are you excited to check out?
I’m very much looking forward to visiting Zareh, which recently opened in Collingwood. It’s overflowing with soul and focuses on Lebanese and Armenian flavours – cuisines I’ve always loved, so seeing them refined like this is really exciting.
What’s the best bargain you’ve found recently?
Luke’s Banh Mi has been a welcome addition to my South Melbourne neighbourhood. My order is “Luke’s Pork and Pork” for $11. It’s packed with barbecued pork, roast pork, pickled vegetables and pâté.
Kobi Watson, Ten Minutes by Tractor
Watson, 24, is no hospitality industry novice. Growing up, his mother owned several cafes and supported his dropping out of high school to open his namesake restaurant – the now-closed Kobi Jack’s in McCrae – aged just 16. After passing his sommelier exam last year, he’s now the head sommelier at two-hatted Mornington Peninsula winery restaurant Ten Minutes by Tractor.
What is your favourite savoury pastry near you, and what makes it so great?
It’s a little sweet, a little savoury, but the whole front-of-house team at Ten Minutes by Tractor are obsessed with Tuerong Farm’s palmiers. We buy them religiously on Saturday mornings. Crispy and flaky pastry laced with fennel is the perfect treat with our morning coffee.
What’s the last restaurant dish you ate that blew you away, and why?
I was in the UK recently and dined at Mountain in London. The menu is very produce-driven with a focus on Iberian flavours. What was unique was how the chef, Tomos Parry, incorporated very high-quality vermouths and vinegars in his cooking, especially a wild strawberry, mint and cucumber dish with a vinaigrette made from red vermouth and sherry vinegar. The way different vinegars from amazing wine regions can flavour dishes is something I haven’t experienced across a whole menu before.
What’s the best dish you’ve eaten at a restaurant this year in Victoria?
Melbourne’s snack game has reached a crescendo but the Peking duck pancake at Chinatown institution Flower Drum is one that tests my self-control.
What new restaurant are you excited to check out when it opens?
I can’t wait for Yiaga to open in Fitzroy Gardens, on the edge of the city. It’s been super-interesting to hear about the collaborative approach that Hugh Allen (Vue de Monde) and his team have taken with a lot of my favourite artisan producers and makers.
The winners of The Age Good Food Guide 2026 Awards will be announced on Monday, October 27, presented by Oceania Cruises and T2 Tea. The awards ceremony will be live-blogged via The Age from 3pm, and the 2026 edition of the Guide will be available on the Good Food app from 8pm. A free 80-page Good Food Guide liftout will be inserted in The Age on Tuesday, October 28.
The home of the Good Food Guide, the app is free for premium subscribers of The Age and also available as a standalone subscription. You can download the Good Food app here.
