09/07/2025
Anyone who has travelled to Sydney in the last decade and done it right will have dined at a restaurant influenced by, and been fed by chefs trained under, David Thompson. Closer to home you may have been fortunate enough to breeze through Nahm in the early 2000’s over in West London. Must have been nice.
Anyway, why is this relevant? This month we’re stoked to be joined by Matthew MacLeod, the executive chef of Sydney’s Chin Chin. A name that’ll be ultra-familiar to those from Oz.
A bit of bio now:
Matthew MacLeod is the Executive Chef at Sydney, one of Australia’s most celebrated modern Asian restaurants. Since opening the Surry Hills venue in 2017, MacLeod has played a defining role in shaping its cult status—known for bold flavours, inventive techniques, and a uniquely Australian spin on Southeast Asian cuisine.
MacLeod’s journey to the top began humbly, learning to cook alongside his grandmother and starting out in local cafés. But it was his deep fascination with Asian flavours that set his career apart. His skills were sharpened under the guidance of Michelin-starred chefs Dylan Jones and Duangporn Songvisava at Bangkok’s trailblazing Bo.lan, and further honed alongside Thai food luminary David Thompson at Long Chim Sydney.
With over two decades of experience, MacLeod’s style blends traditional Asian techniques with contemporary Australian sensibilities.
This was always one of my favourite places to be dined at in my past life, so when Izzy (our GM and formerly of Chin Chin) put me in touch with Matt during my last trip home we decided to make magic happen.
Matt will be with us from the 17th of July until the 26th. Reservations are highly recommended. ✨ 👯♀️