Matthew Kemp

For Restaurant Balzac's Matthew Kemp a passion for cooking started early and proved to be in his blood.

“By the time I was thirteen I knew I wanted to cook. There were no ifs, ands or buts,’ says Matt Kemp. Matt’s mother was a waitress and she got him his first job at “a two-bit café in Essex”. At age sixteen she helped him secure an apprenticeship at a catering company.

“Everything I took at school from age fourteen on was all about cooking. I took French because it's the language of food; art for the creativity and knowledge of aesthetic presentation; and chemistry so I could understand the basics of gastronomy.’
Since those early days in Essex, Matt has honed his skills at restaurants around the globe. He has worked at some of London's finest hotels and restaurants including The Square, a Michelin two-starred restaurant.

“Phillip Howard, the head chef, taught me so much about food” says Matt. “During the year I was there we earned the second michelin star and also won Best French restaurant for the UK and Chef of the Year for the UK.”

When Matt returned to Australia he joined the, now defunct, but legendary Banc restaurant where he worked as Chef de Cuisine. “It was amazing what we achieved there. Within a year and a half of my being there it got three hats, scored 18/20 in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide and won Best Restaurant of the Year.”

With a desire to own his own restaurant Matt left Banc to open ‘Restaurant Balzac’ 2000 at The Spot in Randwick and then due to demand for his food moved to a larger premise in the heart of Randwick Junction. Over 10 years later, with a wall full of awards, Matt’s food and restaurant are still going strong and in January 2011 he opened a new restaurant with Jeremy Bentley called “The Devonshire”.

Matt's restaurant philosophy is simple: providing fresh, seasonal, high-quality, affordable food in a suburban location that offers something for everyone. On the plate he artfully marries sophisticated Gallic classics with fresh modern tastes and heart-warming British comfort food.

Restaurant Balzac

In the 10 years since the restaurant opened, Restaurant Balzac has won many awards including Best French Restaurant for NSW from the Restaurant and Catering Association, Best European Restaurant for Australia from the Restaurant and Catering Association, in 2010 was voted 45th best restaurant in Australia by Gourmet Traveller Magazine and has also won and maintained a Chefs Hat.

Whether it be for a romantic dinner for two, a family get together, business meeting or corporate dinner you can be assured Restaurant Balzac will cater to all your needs with attention to detail, care, flexibility and a desire to create unique individual experiences.
Located in the eastern suburbs at the heart of Randwick Junction and only 15 minutes from the CBD. Crossing the thick sandstone threshold you can leave the real world behind and cocoon yourself in this demure setting. Decor is kept simple and elegant with emphasis being on the beauty and heritage of the building. Downstairs and upstairs dining areas allow for up to 110 people at one time and the upstairs dining room doubles as a wonderful private function area for up to 50 people. Floor staff are polite and well-informed with a relaxed demeanour that puts the diner at ease. The food is the centrepiece and Matt Kemp’s elegant and exquisitely cooked meals are a true marvel.
The menu changes regularly according to seasonality and availability and only the highest quality produce is used. Available everyday is the A la Carte menu and a 9-Course Daily Degustation menu.

Restaurant Balzac also offers a new and exciting 10-Course Seasonal Degustation menu on the last Sunday of every month.

Restaurant Balzac can cater to any special dietary requirements if informed in advance.

Owner, Matt Kemp has become one of Australia’s most well respected and recognised chefs.

After arriving in Sydney in 1992, he worked with Dietmar Sawyere at ‘The Park Lane Hotel’, then with Liam Tomlin at ‘Brasserie Cassis’. He returned to the United Kingdom in 1996 and worked for Philip Howard at the two Michelin star restaurant ‘The Square’. It was during this time and under the influence of Philip that Matt really began to understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of cookery. With this experience, he returned to Australia and worked at the once legendary ‘Banc’ as Chef de Cuisine. During his time as Chef de Cuisine the restaurant won every accolade possible from ‘Best New Restaurant’ to‘Restaurant of the Year’.
In Matt’s vision for Restaurant Balzac he wanted to create a restaurant his Nan, Mum or his best chef mates could walk into and all choose something off the menu without feeling any apprehension. Matt has managed to bring together all the key elements of a fine dining restaurant in a suburban location at a fraction of the cost.

141 Belmore Road Randwick NSW 2031
Phone: 02 9399 9660
http://www.restaurantbalzac.com.au