Celebrity chef Luke Nguyen and the team behind the hatted restaurant Ho Jiak are set to make waves at the upcoming $800 million redevelopment of the Sydney Fish Market. While details have been kept under wraps, sources close to the project have disclosed that Nguyen’s restaurant and a spin-off from Ho Jiak will be among the culinary offerings at the revamped market.
Designed by Danish architects 3XN, the new market promises to be a culinary haven, with a variety of dining options to tantalize the taste buds of Sydneysiders. Alongside Nguyen’s and Ho Jiak’s ventures, a Haymarket dumpling establishment and an inner-west gelateria are rumored to be part of the gastronomic lineup.
Junda Khoo, the owner of the one-hat Ho Jiak Town Hall restaurant, is also jumping on board with his new venture, Tam Jiak restaurant. Khoo plans to offer a menu that combines both meat and seafood dishes, inspired by Western-style hawker food stalls in Malaysia. His draft menu includes innovative dishes such as Vegemite baby pork ribs, salted duck egg prawn toast, and chilli crab dumplings.
The new development, hailed as Sydney’s most significant harborside building since the Opera House, will feature designer food establishments under a distinctive wave-shaped, scale-patterned roof, complete with basement parking. For incoming operators like Khoo, the allure of the state-of-the-art infrastructure and projections of doubling the market’s annual visitors to 5.5 million are strong draws.
While Luke Nguyen and representatives from the Sydney Fish Market have not responded to inquiries, sources close to the project have confirmed Nguyen’s involvement in a restaurant startup.
In addition to the new players, existing operators at the fish market are gearing up for expansion. Retailer GetFish plans to launch a 200-seat eatery and expand its GetSashimi brand, boasting the largest sushi train in Australia. They also plan to offer tailored dining experiences in 12-seater spaces, collaborating with various chefs.
Meanwhile, the current Sydney Fish Market remains fully operational during the construction of the new development, ensuring that seafood lovers can still enjoy their favorite fare without interruption.
