At just 30 years old, chef Hugh Allen has achieved what no Australian chef has accomplished before: leading two three-hatted restaurants simultaneously. The publication of his new restaurant Yiaga's review, which awarded it the prestigious three hats, marks a historic moment in Australian fine dining.
The journey to this unprecedented achievement began when Allen left high school at 16 to pursue his culinary dreams. An apprenticeship at Neil Perry's Rockpool Bar & Grill in Melbourne launched a trajectory that would see him named Gault & Millau Young Chef of the Year at just 20. That recognition opened doors to stage opportunities at several three-Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris before a transformative three-year stint at Copenhagen's legendary Noma under René Redzepi.
At 23, Allen was appointed executive chef of Vue de Monde. By 27, he had earned that restaurant its third hat, making him the youngest chef in three decades to achieve the milestone. Now, with Yiaga's immediate three-hat success, he's written himself into the history books again.
Yiaga—meaning "to seek and find" in Woiwurrung, the language of Melbourne's Wurundjeri people—opened in the leafy surrounds of Fitzroy Gardens in East Melbourne. The 44-seat restaurant offers a distinctly Australian experience unfolding over 12 courses, from sea parsley sorbet to a chocolate dessert shaped like a banksia husk.
"While I'm of course proud, I do find the attention slightly embarrassing because this never is—and never can be—about one person," Allen said, quick to acknowledge his team. "There's a big team behind the dining experience: the restaurant team, but also the producers, farmers, fishers, architects and craftspeople."
The restaurant took six years to plan and build, with Allen working closely with architect John Wardle on every detail. The space features 13,000 handmade clay tiles and flooring mixed with iron dust to evoke pressed red dirt—a distinctly Australian sensibility that extends throughout the experience.
"If we can work at the level we aspire to, while also being a fun, rewarding and inspiring place to work, that will be the ultimate win for me," Allen reflects. Channeling his tennis hero Roger Federer, he adds: "'Effortless is a myth.' Everyone involved has worked incredibly hard for this."
With Victoria now boasting five three-hat restaurants compared to just two in New South Wales, Allen's achievements have helped cement Melbourne's position at the pinnacle of Australian fine dining.