Lennox Hastie

Biography

Lennox Hastie is fascinated by fire. He is the chef and owner of Firedoor in Sydney, Australia’s only fully wood fueled restaurant, which offers a dining experience like no other in town.

Lennox spent his early career working at Michelin Star restaurants across the UK, France and Spain. Whilst he honed his skills in these kitchens, he began to lose sight of what he loved most about cooking, the ingredient. After seeking out Etxebarri, a small asador with a strong tradition of wood-fired grilling, Lennox worked with Victor Arguinzoniz, pushing the limits of what could be cooked over an open flame. He was exposed to a form of cooking that was so completely different, beautifully complex, yet simple, one that highlighted ingredients in their most natural state.

His unique approach saw Lennox awarded Best New Talent and the restaurant was nominated for Best New Restaurant in the 2016 Australian Gourmet Traveller Awards. Last year, Lennox was awarded Citi Chef of the Year at the National Good Food Awards 2020. The restaurant currently holds two-chef hats in the same guide and sits at number 27 on the Australian Gourmet Traveller Top 100 Restaurants.

“With fire came the first transformation of food intro culture. Lennox Hastie is proof that cooking with fire is so much more than barbeque. It is a primary tool for bringing food culture to the table and making everything, from vegetables to seafood, taste divine.” Massimo Bottura.