Pt. Leo Estate welcomes Josep Espuga, as Culinary Director. Drawn to the Peninsula at the end of last year to work at Pt. Leo Estate under Phil Wood he has been appointed to manage the three-venue Estate overseeing Laura, Pt. Leo Restaurant, and the Wine Terrace.
Pt. Leo Estate welcomes Josep Espuga, as Culinary Director.
Drawn to the Peninsula at the end of last year to work at Pt. Leo Estate under Phil Wood he has been appointed to manage the three-venue Estate overseeing Laura, Pt. Leo Restaurant, and the Wine Terrace.
Josep explains his time with Phil as being invaluable: “I was lucky enough to be able to spend the past several months with Phil, especially re-launching Laura post-lockdown. Phil is a great chef and we found many synergies, such as our classically inspired training and admiration for chefs including Escoffier and Michel Bras.
Originally from Catalonia in Spain and with a multi-Michelin star-studded CV, featuring Mugaritz, Nahm and New York’s Degustation; Josep has been in Australia for the past decade.
Josep’s experience at Madrid’s La Broche working with El Bulli alumni, Sergi Arola, really set him on his culinary journey and fuelled his desire to cook around the globe.
“I am proud to be taking on the mantle of running such an incredible destination and look forward to meeting even more producers on the Mornington Peninsula. Autumn is my favourite season for produce and I am already working on dishes showcasing local mushrooms.
Pt. Leo Estate, set over 135 hectares on the southern-most tip of the Mornington Peninsula, is a multi-faceted, family-owned Estate encompassing a captivating celebration of internationally acclaimed art, design and world-class dining and wine, all with sweeping views over Western Port Bay.
Laura is also one of only three Australian appointments to the international culinary guide, Relais & Chateaux. In 2018, Laura was recognised as Australia’s Best New Restaurant by the Good Food Guide and was awarded two hats. The adjacent Pt. Leo Restaurant currently holds one hat.
The Sculpture Park features one of Australia’s largest privately-owned collections of over 60 large-scale contemporary local and international works, including the remarkable Laura and more recently Share 2020 by the famous New York-based artist KAWS.
Visit Pt. Leo Estate