Jonathan Ross, former Head Sommelier of Eleven Madison Park (recently awarded number one in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants), has joined The Lucas Group in Melbourne as Group Sommelier.
Jon worked at The Melbourne Food and Wine festival with Mark Protheroe-running the Pop Up at the Festival’s home base working some of the higher end tasting events. He was also on hand at the 50 Best awards night serving as sommelier for the Wine Australia presentation .
Jon came to Australia also looking to make wine, or to at least get involved with production. The week after the Food and Wine Festival he spent a couple of days with a few different producers in the Yarra Valley as they finished their harvest.
In another win for influential restaurateur Chris Lucas and his growing businesses, Ross adds to the wine team headed by General Manager Wine, Philip Rich, along with General Manager of Kisumé (their soon-to-open restaurant), Markus Tschuschnig.
Rich and Ross will work closely on advanced wine and sommelier training and development across the entire group, and oversee all wine programs for the group’s restaurants. This includes Kisumé, and a future project, still in planning stages. Ross will also be taking a personal role at Kisumé, focusing on the intimate Japanese dining omakase room on level three known simply as “the table”.
“I’m thrilled to be joining an internationally regarded and innovative, world class restaurant business. I’m also excited to be working alongside Philip Rich, one of Australia’s most respected wine experts and his extended team. I’m confident we will bring a unique edge to Chris Lucas’ restaurants,” Ross said.
His tenure (2012-2017) at Eleven Madison Park saw Ross oversee the restaurant’s award-winning wine program, including a team of five sommeliers. In 2015, Ross was the GuildSomm National Top Somm Champion.
Ross is also in the final stages of completing his Master Sommelier, the highly prestigious diploma that is recognised around the world.
Restaurateur Chris Lucas said, “What a time for Jon to be joining our expanding family. I believe our group’s wine team is shaping up to be one of Australia’s most talented, bringing together a truly international line-up with the best of our local talent. With Jon we now have one the best wine talents in the world and I can’t wait to work with him.”
With the Japanese-inspired Kisumé opening in May at 175 Flinders Lane, Chin Chin Sydney in September 2017, and a 2018 venture with Martin Benn and Vicki Wild of Sepia, there is much to look forward to from this team.
http://www.kisume.com.au
