Matt Moran
Restaurateur, author and food presenter
As the keynote speaker at the 2014 National Landcare Conference, Matt will share the story about where he came from, what drove his career to date and his experiences and thoughts on bridging the gap between the city and the bush.
At 15, Matt finished school to start his career as a chef. He began his apprenticeship at La Belle Helene Restaurant, Roseville, on Sydney's North Shore and it was here that Matt discovered and practised the art of classical French cooking. Little did he know then that he would one day own one of Australia's most acclaimed restaurants.
Raised on a dairy farm in NSW Matt soon developed a commitment to the land and a love for food and local produce. Today, this is reflected in his menus and in the quality and freshness of his produce. For example, his lamb comes from Greenhills, the award-winning Moran family farm in the Central Tablelands. Surrounded by pristine countryside and with a crystal clear, spring-fed water supply the farm produces premium quality, free-range lamb using sustainable and environmentally conscious methods.
In 1991 Matt, with his business partner Peter Sullivan, opened their first restaurant - The Paddington Inn Bistro. In 1995, their success led to their second restaurant, Moran's Restaurant and Café. Moran's was awarded best new restaurant in the 1995 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.
December 1999 saw the opening of ARIA Restaurant at one of the most enviable positions in Sydney. Located at No. 1 Macquarie Street, East Circular Quay, ARIA overlooks the Sydney Opera House and Sydney's spectacular harbour. ARIA has since been awarded two coveted Chef's Hats by The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Matt believes that seasonality is one of the most significant ingredients in achieving a flavoursome, balanced and premium quality menu and ARIA's contemporary menu is inspired by his passion for sourcing the finest seasonal produce available. Vogue Entertaining has described Matt Moran's food at ARIA as 'a revelation' while distinguished wine writer James Halliday has called the wine list 'the best in Australia'. The Sydney Morning Herald has said of the restaurant's unmatched location: "If you were any closer to the Opera House, you'd be in the audience."
In August 2009 Matt and Peter opened a second ARIA Restaurant in Brisbane. Located in the Eagle Street Pier precinct, the restaurant has spectacular views of the Brisbane River and the Story Bridge provides a perfect backdrop for diners.
Since 2003 Matt Moran has been a member of the International Culinary Panel for Singapore Airlines. He has represented Australia internationally promoting food and wine in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. In May 2003, he was invited to New York to appear at the esteemed New York culinary institution James Beard House.
While Matt's main focus is his restaurants he also enjoys sharing his experience and knowledge to the public through the media. Matt was part of 'The Bank' on Channel 7's high-rating reality TV program, My Restaurant Rules in 2004 and 2005. The Bank comprised of a panel of four experts in the food game who give advice and input into the creation of each restaurant.
In 2005, ARIA Restaurant and Matt featured prominently in Heat in the Kitchen, an insightful documentary looking at the lives of three Sydney chefs and their restaurants. The documentary followed the restaurants for a year, coinciding with results from the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards. The show aired on SBS in Australia and is still broadcast internationally. In 2008 he became the resident top chef on Channel 9's reality cooking show The Chopping Block and in 2009 one of the guest judges of Channel 10's enormously successful cooking show MasterChef.
Matt has been part of the judging panel for the coveted Vogue Entertaining & Travel Produce Awards since its inception in 2005 and had a weekly spot on radio with the ABC's James Valentine on Relish. He appears regularly as a guest chef at The Good Food and Wine Show in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, joining forces with local and international celebrity chefs.
Matt has also written two cookbooks. His first, Matt Moran, showcases some ARIA dishes adapted for the home cook and his second, When I Get Home, presents the favourite recipes that Matt cooks at home for his family and friends.