Food & Drink

One of the pleasures of food and drink is that they are often a shared experience – think about the times you’ve gotten together with friends and exchanged interesting ideas and opinions. In addition to having enjoyed a good meal, you left the table better informed with most senses more than likely fulfilled. Our Food and Drink section is all about the unique, best practice experiences on the Mornington Peninsula. In this section we like to inspire and inform readers with a mix of stories from around the Pen.

Rare Hare

There’s a buzz in the air on Mornington Peninsula, and it comes in the form of a contemporary cutting edge designer hotel, formal restaurant, smart bar, casual dining experience and cellar door. The name is Jackalope – and it’s the new home of Willow Creek Vineyard Wines. The vision of Louis Li's, a 29 year old Chinese national who has been living in Melbourne for ten years, Willow Creek Vineyard is now the site for the world’s first Jackalope Hotel.  Moving here as an 18 year old to study film making, Louis Li is well versed in luxury property development with his parents being involved in a number of luxury hotels and residential properties in Kunming in south western China.  So in a sense his first solo project is following in the tradition of his family business.   Being a film maker Lewis Lee is a great storyteller, and his first foray into hospitality shows his appetite for art and design and food culture, which shines through every element in this property.  His debut Jackalope Hotel in Merricks will be followed by a 40 room hotel in Flinders Lane which is scheduled to open in 2019.

Main Ridge Olive Oil Co

Tim Jupp is full of surprises, experienced and focused beyond his years. Young and talented, this fine dining chef has moved away from the 80 hour working weeks his chosen profession demands to chef at Commonfolk in Mornington, where the hours are much more conducive to family life. Given that he and his wife Michelle have four children under the age of 11, you can understand his life choices.

Steam

Rye between Christmas and New Year is super busy - not just Chadstone in the lead up to Christmas busy but Chadstone Christmas Eve and Boxing Day Sale busy all rolled into one neat, jam packed strip of bay coas...