A Taste of HQ: Street Eats Edition

Julian Cincotta is the co-founder and executive chef of Surry Hills’ Butter Sydney. Known for its unique blend of fried chicken, hip-hop, champagne, and sneakers, Butter is where street culture meets luxury dining.  

He is also a founding member of Hollywood Quarter, the city’s most exciting micro-precinct nestled in Surry Hills, and is curating A Taste of HQ’s Foster Street.  

Founded by New York native and former food journalist Michael Shafran, Brooklyn Boy Bagels brings authentic, hand-rolled, boiled bagels to Sydney - the real deal, just like back home. With regular market pop-ups and cafes in Marrickville and Surry Hills, Brooklyn Boy Bagels has become a mainstay of Sydney – and celebrated internationally, as the winner of Best Bagels in Asia Pacific at the New York Bagelfest in 2024. 

Josh Raine is a British-born chef known for his inventive approach to modern Australian cuisine, and the owner-chef of 40Res, a neighbourhood wine bar in Surry Hills.

He boasts over 20 years’ experience working in Michelin-starred kitchens across London, Hong Kong, Brisbane and Sydney, including as executive chef at Tetsuya’s and Urbane Restaurant.  

Nelly Robinson is the chef-owner of NEL Restaurant, a degustation restaurant in Surry Hills.  

Opened by the British-born chef in 2015, NEL is one of Australia’s most celebrated restaurants, continuing to showcase Australian produce with playful creativity and technical precision. 

Lakhan Bhounsle is Head Chef at NOMAD, one of Sydney’s most celebrated dining destinations, known for bold, wood-fired and Mediterranean-inspired cooking.

Beginning as a self-taught pastry chef in Bangalore, Bhounsle moved to Sydney to study at Le Cordon Bleu before beginning as NOMAD as a pastry commis chef before rising the ranks. His pastry talents will be on display during Taste of HQ. 

Chin Chin Sydney executive chef Matthew MacLeod has been at the restaurant since day one in 2017.  

A fierce passion for Asian flavours has guided his culinary career, from a role at the Michelin-starred Bo.lan in Bangkok to Pu’er in Sydney, before leading Chin Chin’s anticipated Sydney outpost.  

Lennox Hastie is the chef-owner of Firedoor, Australia’s first fully wood-fueled restaurant, and Gildas, a Basque-inspired wine bar in Surry Hills.

He is also the author of Finding Fire (2017) and has featured in two acclaimed Netflix series, Chef’s Table: BBQ (Season 1), Somebody Feed Phil (Season 8) and David Chang’s Ugly Delicious (Season Two).

Remy Davis is head chef at Bessie's Restaurant and Alma's Bar, bringing experience from Michelin-starred Elkano in San Sebastian. The Sydney native specializes in open-fire cooking, celebrating fresh, seasonal produce with smoky, wood-fired techniques honed in the Basque food capital.