One of Australia's most successful and experienced restaurateurs, Frank van Haandel, has been chosen by the Sydney Opera House Trust as the preferred tenderer for the Bennelong restaurant, following a public tender process.

Mr Van Haandel has more than 30 years' experience centred in Melbourne and, more recently, at Stokehouse Q in Brisbane. "We are thrilled to have been selected for this iconic Sydney restaurant, which will be the focus of our attention over the coming years," he said. "It is the perfect place for our particular style of dining, which is classic and exuberant, respectful and contemporary."

Bennelong by Stokehouse also marks the return to Sydney of renowned chef and Stokehouse's creative director and executive chef Anthony Musarra to oversee the new restaurant. "I am delighted to be coming home to take on the most exciting challenge of my life: a restaurant worthy of Australia's greatest building". Working closely with Mr van Haandel, Mr Musarra successfully renovated Stokehouse Restaurant St Kilda and then went on to launch Stokehouse Q, Stokehouse Café and most recently, Fatto Bar & Cantina.

Stokehouse Q's 30-year-old rising star Richard Ousby, will be the head chef of Bennelong by Stokehouse. Mr Ousby joined Stokehouse Q in 2012, became head chef earlier this year and immediately earned Stokehouse Q its second chef's hat.  He won the prestigious 2012 Acqua Panna & S. Pellegrino International Young Chef of the Year award and the 2011 Electrolux Australian Young Chef of the Year.  He was sous-chef to Peter Gilmore at Sydney's Quay Restaurant and worked under Michel Roux at the famous Waterside Inn in Britain.

After a substantial refit starting in the New Year, Bennelong by Stokehouse will open its doors in May 2014.  The restaurant will capitalise on Bennelong's two-tiered structure to deliver both a sophisticated dining area and more casual upper level. It will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, and for breakfast on weekends.

"We are very pleased that Bennelong will be open to more people, in more ways, more of the time," Sydney Opera House Trust Chairman John Symond AM said. "Frank van Haandel and Anthony Musarra are among Australia's most experienced restaurateurs and Richard Ousby is one of our most exciting young chefs. For us, the next decade is all about renewal of the Opera House and this is an important part of that renewal."

"Like the Opera House, the Van Haandel Group has been a hothouse for emerging Australian talent," Opera House CEO Louise Herron AM said. "We have been thoroughly impressed by the rigour, professionalism and depth of experience of the Van Haandel team and their ability to spot and nurture young talent. For us, it is the perfect marriage of experience and creativity."

Matt Moran, Owner of ARIA Restaurants added: "Frank is a class operator. I am looking forward to working with him and I am sure Bennelong by Stokehouse will be a great success."

Sydney Opera House Trust Chairman John Symond AM also said: "I would like to pay tribute to Guillaume Brahimi and to thank him for his extraordinary contribution to the Opera House. Guillaume has worked tirelessly to establish Bennelong as a destination restaurant in Australia."

BACKGROUND NOTES TO THE EDITOR
 

Frank van Haandel is one of Australia's most successful and dynamic restaurateurs, with more than 30 years of hospitality experience. He is a recipient of The Age Special Award for Professional Excellence and The Legends of Melbourne Food and Wine Award. His trademark combination of sophisticated dining and laid-back glamour has not only chimed with the times, but helped rejuvenate the areas in which he has opened, for example Stokehouse and Circa, The Prince in Melbourne's St Kilda in the late 1980s and early 1990s and Stokehouse Q on Brisbane's South Bank in 2011.

In 2007, Frank and his wife, Sharon, formed the Van Haandel Group, which owns and operates four landmark venues in Melbourne and one in Brisbane, including: Stokehouse in St Kilda; Stokehouse Q in Brisbane; Comme in Melbourne's CBD; Fatto Bar & Cantina at the Arts Centre Melbourne's recently redeveloped Hamer Hall; and Mr Tulk cafe at the State Library of Victoria.

Anthony Musarra is Creative Director and Executive Chef of the Van Haandel Group. He is recognised as one of the country's leading chefs who continues to stimulate the ever-changing Australian dining scene. Initially making a name for himself in his hometown of Sydney, Anthony earned a string of awards and hats in some of the city's top restaurants and hotels including Pavilion On The Park, Lucciola and Harbour Kitchen And Bar, Park Hyatt Sydney. After relocating to Melbourne, Anthony spent two years heading the kitchens of the Park Hyatt Melbourne.  After five years at the helm of Stokehouse St Kilda, Anthony was appointed General Manager of the Van Haandel Group.

Richard Ousby, head chef of Stokehouse Q, Brisbane: Stokehouse opened on Brisbane's South Bank in 2011 and immediately earned one hat. Ousby joined in 2012, the year he was named Acqua Panna & S. Pellegrino International Young Chef of the Year. Within a year of his arrival, he was appointed head chef and Stokehouse Q had two hats in the Queensland Good Food Guide.

In 2011, Ousby was named Electrolux Appetite for Excellence Australian Young Chef of the Year. The award was founded by chef and restaurateur Luke Mangan and restaurateur Lucy Allon to support the hospitality industry's next generation. Its mission is to "inspire, educate and nurture the emerging talent who are the future of our industry".

Before moving to Stokehouse Q, Ousby was sous-chef to executive chef Peter Gilmore at Quay Restaurant (three hats in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide for more than a decade and Restaurant of the Year five times; Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant of the Year three times; and named in the S. Pellegrino & Acqua Panna World's 50 Best Restaurants list since 2009). Ousby also worked for legendary French chef Michel Roux at the famous Waterside Inn in Britain.

The Van Haandel Group has - like the Sydney Opera House - a long history as a hothouse for young Australian talent, including:

 - Andrew McConnell, of Melbourne's Cutler & Co (co-owned by Frank van Haandel; two hats in The Age Good Food Guide 2014). McConnell was previously head chef at van Haandel's Circa, The Prince in St Kilda.
 
 - Ben Shewry, of Melbourne's Attica (ranked 21st in S. Pellegrino & Acqua Panna World's 50 Best Restaurants list; Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year and three hats, The Age Good Food Guide 2014). Shewry worked as sous-chef under McConnell at Circa, The Prince.
 
 - Michael Lambie, of Melbourne's The Smith, who has earned a swag of hats during his career. He was previously executive chef at Stokehouse, St Kilda (two hats); Circa, The Prince (three hats and Best New Restaurant in The Age Good Food Guide); Taxi Dining Room (The Age Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year).

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Sydney Opera House
The Opera House is a masterpiece that belongs to all Australians. One of the world's most recognised and celebrated buildings, it contributes significantly to the cultural life of the city .The World Heritage-listed Opera House welcomes over 8.2 million visitors on site every year and hosts 1,800 performances attended by 1.4 million people. It is one of the world's busiest cultural precincts.

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