Lee Ko Fook? Or Momofooku Ho? However you slice it, Melbourne’s in for a treat.
Just when you thought Melbourne was going to collapse under the weight of culinary talent jetting in for the double whammy of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival at the beginning of April, along comes news that not one but two chef alumni of Momofuku in New York are getting together to cook dinner while they’re in town.
Related: Massimo Bottura invites you to dinner
Sean Gray, chef at Momofuku Ko, the flagship fine-diner in the East Village, is teaming up with Momofuku Seiōbo chef Paul Carmichael and host chef Victor Liong at Lee Ho Fook for a night of fun and fireworks. Better still, they’re joined by front-of-house star Su Wong Ruiz, the manager of Ko who keen-eyed Momo-watchers will remember fondly from her stint on the floor in Sydney when Seiōbo first opened.
Momofuku x Lee Ho Fook illustration.
“Working with Sean and Su has been a long time coming. Now that it’s finally happening, my excitement is only growing and I’m just trying to stay as calm and focused as I can,” says Carmichael. “Su and I worked together, and I can’t wait to get the band back together.”
Gray, meanwhile, is keen to see what Momofuku translates to south of the equator. “I’ve always had a lot of respect for Paul’s cuisine. He has a unique style and a very clear focus on what good food is,” he says. “I’m excited to see what flavours and techniques he’s developed in the time he’s spent in Australia.”
It might be a week of hot-ticket items, but this one’s practically smoking, folks – get in quick.
Catch Momofuku’s Sean Gray and Paul Carmichael cooking with Victor Liong at Lee Ho Fook on Monday 3 April. Six courses, $148 (plus drinks). For bookings, contact Lee Ho Fook on (03) 9077 6261 or momofuku@leehofook.com.au.
