Set to reopen in May 2025 after significant refurbishments, Parkville's Potter Museum of Art is about to unveil one of the more interesting new restaurants in town: Residence. The idea is simple. Each year, a new chef takes the helm to introduce a new concept in the space. The annually rotating Chef in Residence program doesn't just treat Melbourne diners to an ever-evolving dining experience year after year; it also supports some of the nation's best up-and-coming chefs in manifesting their wildest restaurant dreams – from mood to menu – into customer-facing reality. Each chef also gets intensive mentorship and a financial stake in the restaurant.
Together, Residence's co-founders Nathen Doyle and Cameron Earl bring more than two decades of industry experience to the table. Doyle played an integral role in launching hip Carlton spots like Heartattack and Vine and Sunhands, plus inclusive wine events operator Good Booze Blind, while Earl (who started his career at age 13 as a kitchen hand) has earned his stripes working for some of Melbourne's best-loved venues: Carlton Wine Room, Embla and St. Ali.
Doyle and Earl have recently announced that the inaugural head chef hired to kick off Residence's debut is Robbie Noble.
Originally from northern England, Noble brings professional kitchen expertise from his time working across the UK, Paris and Melbourne. From three years at England's Michelin-starred Northcote and a red-hot stint at Paris' cult seafood bar Clamato to a senior sous chef role at fine diner Vue de Monde, Noble's scope of experience alone is impressive – but its his sophisticated idea, Cherrywood, that excited Doyle and Earl.
Noble's Cherrywood will be the first 12-month project to take over Residence, a place for shared, seasonal produce-led dining, artful sophistication and gathering-style conviviality. Inspired by his time abroad, Noble’s offering will feature dishes such as smoked bone marrow and oxtail marmalade on toast, grilled John Dory with tomato butter and tarragon and poached peach with lemon verbena and rum sponge.
“Robbie’s proposal for Cherrywood stood out immediately,” says Doyle. “It’s thoughtful, elegant, and built from experience, not ego. His dishes speak softly but confidently, and his leadership style is grounded and generous. That’s precisely the kind of energy we want to open with.”
Want a seat at the table? We'll need to get through autumn first; Residence isn't set to open until this winter. Luckily, we've got plenty to get excited about while we wait.
“Cherrywood is cooking that makes room for people,” says Noble. “It’s thoughtful but unfussy, shaped by memory, and always adapting. Residence is the kind of place that lets that sentiment grow — creatively, collaboratively, openly.”
Cherrywood is located at the Potter Museum of art at The University of Melbourne's Parkville campus. It will seat 60 across its main dining room and adjoining espresso wine bar. For more information, head to the website or follow Residence on Instagram.
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